Despite reports of progress during the summer months, the University has yet to name a permanent replacement for former Rose Art Museum director Joseph Ketner. In the meantime, Rose curator Raphaela Platow has been serving as the museum's Acting Director. Provost Marty Krauss hopes to have the position permanently filled by mid-October.

"There was a huge mailing to museums, universities and various other places announcing the position and soliciting nominations for the people we sent letters to or to contacts they might recommend," said Krauss. "That was to develop the pool of potential candidates, which can take awhile. You have got to give that [process] a couple months to really work."

Following Ketner's departure, Krauss formed a search committee chaired by Rose Board of Overseers member Ronald Casty and staffed by Executive Assistant to the President John Hose. "We have ten people on the search committee, and that's not unusual to have that many," said Krauss. "It's a very good committee. It was very carefully put together, so that we had faculty, board of overseers representation, development and academic representation."

Out of approximately 30 applicants, seven thus far have come to campus to meet with the committee.

Krauss and members of the search committee declined to comment on far has interviewed for the directorial position.

"We don't have a decision yet, because [the committee] is still interviewing potential candidates," Krauss said. "It's a little bit difficult with the summer vacation."

Once the committee has narrowed down the applicants to between two to four finalists, they will submit their recommendations to Krauss for review and subsequent contract negotiations.

"I think the committee is looking for someone who's going to continue to build on the strong work that Joe Ketner did as director and continue the efforts to raise the profile of the museum," Hose said.

While Provost Krauss does not feel the replacement must share Ketner's eclectic personality, she hopes to find a new director who is an expert on contemporary art and has experience running a museum.

"You want someone who has a very strong sense of being a steward or protector of a valuable art collection," Krauss explained. "So we're looking for someone who is very knowledgeable about contemporary art, who has demonstrated management experience in managing a staff and a museum; someone who is exciting, who has a vision for how the museum's role can develop on campus."

Krauss has full confidence in the Rose staff, which she describes as "excellent" and of "high-quality," as the search for the new director continues.

"You can have 27 applicants, but you only need one," Krauss said. "The size of the pool is not as important as the people in the pool. There are some very strong, very accomplished people in the pool. This is a nationally-recognized position, so we have applicants from all over the country. The Rose is a very respected institution.