As he takes the reins of Dartmouth in the midst of an economic crisis that has had far-reaching effects at the College, President-elect Jim Yong Kim will also need to identify a new College provost during the beginning of his tenure.
Provost Barry Scherr will leave his post after Kim has become sufficiently familiar with the College, likely sometime between this coming summer and spring 2010, Scherr said in an interview with The Dartmouth on Monday. Scherr, along with vice president of finance and administration Adam Keller, has guided the College through the recent budget cuts as a member of Dartmouth's financial team.
"I committed to [President James] Wright that I would stay on until June of this year, but because of the new president, I'll stay on for a little while longer," Scherr said.
Scherr will remain in the position of provost during Kim's transition period until the new president is in a position to oversee the search for a new provost, he said.
"[Kim] needs time to settle in and decide what he wants to do," Scherr said.
Board of Trustees Chairman Ed Haldeman '70 said he has "seen no indication" that Kim, whose presidency will begin July 1, will choose to implement other immediate changes to the College's financial team.
"Ultimately, that decision is made by the president, and they have been working for Jim Wright and the decision about whether they stay or not has been Jim Wright's," Haldeman said. "When the new president comes in, that will be his decision."
Wright added that the relationship between the financial team and the College president "cuts two ways."
"I think [Kim] will be well served by this team," Wright said. "Dartmouth has been well served by this team, and I know they are eager to work with him through the transition."
Kim and the College's financial leaders have already spent "good time" together, Haldeman said, adding that he is confident in Kim's ability to run an organization and work within a budget.
During his tenure at the Department of HIV/AIDS at the World Health Organization, Kim managed an operating budget of $120 million. Dartmouth's operating budget, including the graduate schools, is approximately $700 million.
"I feel very good about that relationship, and the prospects for [Kim] working well with that team," Haldeman said.
Scherr and Keller will help guide Kim through the transition process, holding several meetings over the next couple of months and compiling materials from departments and groups across campus to help inform Kim.
"I expect [Scherr] to be involved in the transition -- to be involved pretty heavily," Keller said. "I expect a lot of the time I spend with President Kim will be with [Scherr] as well."
Keller will present Kim with the College's budgetary and financial information and answer any questions he may have, Scherr said, adding that he hopes this process will begin next week.
"We'll review all the financial reports, review the budget materials, review the budget-reconciliation plan," Keller said. "My understanding is he loves to see data, so we will be able to share virtually everything that is of interest."
Scherr said he and Keller hope to make Kim "as familiar as possible" with the state of the College before he assumes his position as president.
Kim will not be able to travel to Hanover as frequently as he would like because of his newborn son, but will visit the College more often as July approaches, he said an interview.
Scherr, who has served as provost for eight years and is currently the Mandel Family Professor of Russian, will continue his work in Russian literature after he steps down, but does not know whether he will return as a professor or retire, he said.
The subheadline on the original version of this article incorrectly stated that Provost Scherr will leave the College following President-elect Kim's transition. In fact, Scherr has yet to decide whether he will remain at Dartmouth as a member of the faculty.
