The University Presidential Search Committee announced Monday the final candidate to replace President Dave Frohnmayer is Richard Lariviere, vice chancellor and provost at the University of Kansas.
Lariviere (pronounced Lar-uh-vee-air) has been the KU provost since 2006 and has built his career around Asian studies with a focus on India. He earned his bachelor’s degree in religion history from the University of Iowa and his Ph.D. in Asian Studies from the University of Pennsylvania.
Search committee members said they were enthusiastic about their choice. University Senate President Paul van Donkelaar said he considers Lariviere an excellent candidate and the committee worked very hard to reach this point.
Van Donkelaar said one of Lariviere’s outstanding qualities is his ability to bring people to a consensus and foster teamwork, and he will be a positive addition to the University.
Lariviere could not be reached for comment Monday.
ASUO President Sam Dotters-Katz said, “Richard’s story is one people will really find compelling,” and said he thinks Lariviere will work to enhance an atmosphere of diversity and multiculturalism on campus.
Lariviere worked for three years under a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities translating ancient Indian texts and then became an associate professor of Sanskrit at the University of Texas at Austin.
While at UT, he became the associate vice provost for international studies in 1995 and the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences in 1999, which he remained until 2006 when he moved to KU.
He has also traveled to India extensively, beginning in 1972, and worked as a consultant to businesses planning to move parts of their operations to India.
Tim Gleason, dean of the School of Journalism and Communication, said he’s looking forward to working with Lariviere. “I’m very happy he’s the candidate – he’s a very strong candidate.
“We will all spend time learning to pronounce his name,” Gleason joked.
Dotters-Katz said, “Out of all of the candidates he had incredible answers when it came to students’ role at the table.” In addition, he said Lariviere was very well-rounded and “got all of the questions right” on major issues affecting the University.
The search committee had narrowed the search down to two candidates, of which Lariviere is the finalist. The other candidate’s name remains closed and the committee refused to comment on the discussion about the two because of confidentiality rules.
Lariviere will bring his wife, Janis, and daughter, Anne Elizabeth, with him to Oregon. Janis Lariviere has been a science education teacher at KU while Richard Lariviere has worked there.
Lariviere will visit the University on March 10 and 11 to introduce himself to students and faculty. He will follow a full itinerary of forums and meetings during the two days.
He will not officially accept the job until after the campus visit. If confirmed, he will begin his presidential tenure July 1.
“As a member of the search committee,” Dotters-Katz said, “I am proud Richard was the finalist, and I think the University and Eugene community will celebrate his arrival.”
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