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| NewsSunday, July 13, 2008 12:20 PM CDT |
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New second in command is ISU's highest-ranked woman ever
NORMAL -- As Illinois State University’s new provost Sheri Noren Everts settles in to the job, she becomes the highest-ranked female administrator in the university’s history. She officially started July 1. The provost and vice president of academic affairs works with three other vice presidents, but is considered second in command to ISU president. “A provost really is focused on the classroom experience, the curricular area and institutional research of a university,” she said. She also leads the university’s six academic college deans in managing their departments. What Noren Everts likes best about ISU is its focus on teaching. “This place has really embraced undergraduate education.” As a first-generation college graduate, raised on a Nebraska farm, that hits close to home. “My parents instilled in us early on the value of education,” she said of Herman and Margaret Everts, who farmed corn and raised eight children, several of whom pursued teaching careers. The longtime college administrator began her career as a middle school and high school English teacher, and later spent time training future teachers. Most recently she’s served as interim senior vice chancellor of academic and student affairs at University of Nebraska-Omaha. “I loved teaching,” she said. “But I realized I could have a wider impact, being able to affect the lives of more students, by supporting the faculty that teach them,” she said of the career path switch. ISU President Al Bowman calls her background in teachers’ education a plus, but not a deciding factor, in her hire. A university search team recommended Noren Everts. “It was more of a coincidence. What I liked was she had roots in the faculty experience. She’s been in the classroom and she’s done research. That really was the critical factor,” he said. There was that gut feeling, too. “She seemed the kind of person the faculty could trust. And she shared our values about where we want the university to go. She knew about ‘Educating Illinois’ (ISU’s strategic plan), and she clearly wanted to be a part of it,” he said. Bowman also praised Noren Evert for the ability to work alongside faculty, as well as collaborate with fellow vice presidents Steve Bragg, Dianne Ashby and Steve Adams. Those three oversee ISU’s finance, advancement and student affairs areas. She replaces John Presley, who served as provost from March 2003 to December, and earns an annual salary of $250,000. A poetry scholar, Presley continues teaching at the campus. Associate Provost Jan Murphy served as interim leader. Noren Everts said she’s thrilled to be part of the ISU campus community, and said she’s found nothing but warm welcomes. Though she officially started this month, she has been on campus several times this spring, in particular during budget meetings. Noren Everts said she’s impressed with how ISU makes that a very public process. “Transparency is important,” she added. Among issues she expects to face in the near future are how to tap into the differing learning styles of an increasingly diverse student body, how to embrace technology in the classroom in a meaningful way, and how to tell the ISU story so the state realizes the benefits of supporting higher education. The Nebraska roots are strong, but Noren Everts does have some Midwest family ties: her husband Jay Noren is president of Wayne State University in Detroit, a position he just took on this spring. Though she admits the arrangement might seem unconventional, she said the couple just bought a home in Normal, and she intends to stay. Such a commuter marriage isn’t uncommon in the academic world, noted Bowman. No. 2 at ISUSheri Noren Everts started July 1 as Illinois State University’s new provost and vice president of academic affairs, the first female to hold the post. Career: Various positions at University of Nebraska-Omaha, from 1994 to June 2008, including professor of teacher education, assistant to the academic affairs vice chancellor, and in the academic and student affairs division she was assistant vice chancellor, associate vice chancellor and interim senior vice chancellor of academic and student affairs. Education: Three degrees from University of Nebraska-Lincoln: bachelor’s in English and secondary education, master’s in literacy education and English; and doctorate in administration, curriculum and instruction. Attended elementary school in a one-room schoolhouse in Nebraska. Family: Married to Jay Noren, president of Wayne State University in Detroit. Between them, the couple has four adult children. Hobbies: Noren Everts is an avid runner. She enjoys reading non-fiction, and even collects dictionaries. She also boasts an ever-filled candy dish. E-mail this story | Print this story | Search archives | RSS Show comments |  Hide comments | Hide comments on all stories |
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