On July 1, the NIU community will witness a changing of the guard in the vice provost’s office.

Earl “Gip” Seaver, former chairman of the communicative disorders department, will take over the position as vice provost from Robert Wheeler, who has worked in the provost’s office since 2000.

Provost Ivan Legg offered Seaver the position at the end of February after a nearly five-month search for a qualified candidate.

Seaver, who came to NIU in 1975 as an assistant professor in the communicative disorders department, was chosen because he “had the personality and ability to provide the leadership the position needed,” Legg said.

He also said the most important challenge Seaver will face is providing education to a very diverse set of students.

Seaver said that the vice provost’s job consists of going to many committee meetings associated with the undergraduate area of the university. While doing this, he said he plans to keep students’ best interests in mind.

“I want students to see Northern is a great place to come to school,” he said.

Seaver’s main responsibilities are to oversee the undergraduate programs, and to coordinate the work of the four colleges of NIU that administer teacher certification programs, in collaboration with the Committee on Initial Teacher Certification and the deans of the colleges.

“He is a person of great integrity, he already has built trust across the campus,” Wheeler said. “He’s ready. He’ll do a great job.”

Wheeler thinks the most challenging aspect of the job that Seaver will have to deal with is working with the various teacher certification programs. He said that it seems Illinois’ rules are changing constantly, and teacher certification issues will be a significant portion of what he does.

Wheeler said he and Seaver have met regularly to discuss the issues the vice provost has to deal with.

“I would hate to think to have started this position without [Wheeler’s] expertise and wisdom,” Seaver said. “He’s been very good at giving me background.”

Seaver hopes to help the department directors meet their goals, as well as make sure the lines of communication between his office and the students are open. He’s also considering forming a student advisory group that would meet regularly with the vice provost.

“Students are great vehicles to find out what’s going on,” he said.

Seaver will retain the vice provost for a maximum of five years before being reviewed; however, he could be reviewed at any time before those years are up.

Want to know more about the Office of the Provost? Visit:

http://www.niu.edu/provost/office2a.htm