After a two-month hunt, the position of vice president(VP) for student affairs has been narrowed down to three finalists.

The search started in early March, when a 16-person committee of Oakland University students and faculty started sifting through applications from across the country.

The search committee had a specific goal in mind while considering candidates: find a VP who will be passionate and concerned with anything student-related.

As one of nine vice presidents to president George Hynd, the VP for student affairs handles a $40 million budget that manages students’ services. These services include student activities, career services, housing, and the tutoring, health and counseling centers.

With the help of the search firm, Spelman & Johnson Group, the committee narrowed down and interviewed select candidates. From the interviews, they chose three finalists, who each presented themselves and spoke in front of students and faculty.

Eric Norman

VP for student affairs candidate Eric Norman spoke to the student body on April 13, where he presented his previous accomplishments and student affairs experience.

Norman is the current Vice Chancellor and Dean of Students at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne. In his speech, he explained how his current position benefits his potential new job at OU.

“Oakland is similar to my current institution, IPFW.” Norman told the audience. “Race, religion, sexual orientation, veterans, international and disability students are all communities we pay attention to in order to make sure we capture the university as a whole.”

Norman’s experienced background in student affairs centers around Greek Life. At Virginia Tech, he helped to include 28 new chapters and create a community, rather than a Greek Life system.

Franklin Chambers

With nearly 20 years of experience with student affairs and academics, VP for student affairs candidate Franklin Chambers explained his eligibility for the job on April 21.

As the previous vice president for student affairs at Coppin State University, Chambers looks to increase student involvement and student-faculty communication.

“We should provide opportunities for students to grow,” Chambers told the crowd. “We need to meet them where they’re at but also expect them to grow; I believe that will come through service learning.”

For a specific example, Chambers mentioned a plan to partner with the city of Pontiac. His idea with the project is to involve students in service projects and bettering OU’s campus.

Glenn McIntosh

Golden Grizzly Glenn McIntosh used his current employment as OU’s interim vice president to describe that he is the best fit for VP for student affairs.

“I’ve been a Grizzly for close to 21 years,” McIntosh told students and faculty on April 23. “When you think about the mission of higher education, it’s a promise. That is if you truly embrace the concept of education, you’ll increase your chances of upward mobility.”

McIntosh explained that he’s already spent time making OU a comfortable community for students, making him a viable candidate.

With his time here, he has helped in the creation of the veteran support services and the advising resource, student technology, and gender and sexuality centers.

The search committee will decide between these three candidates, but the final decision for the VP for student affairs has not yet been decided. The Oakland Post will stay updated on the decision.