Candidate showcases skills at Southeast president forum

Carlos Vargas-Aburto, one of four presidential hopefuls at Southeast Missouri State University, took questions Monday during a public forum and also described what makes him the best candidate for the university's top leadership position.

"I think you have in me somebody who is very committed to excellence, to quality," he said. "I believe in not doing everything, but what you do, doing it well. You're going to have a difficult time finding somebody more committed to the mission of an institution."

Vargas-Aburto is acting president of Kutztown University of Pennsylvania and earned a doctorate in physics and aerospace science at the University of Michigan.

Before becoming acting president in July, he had served as provost and vice president for academic and student affairs since July 2011.

Vargas-Aburto said the experience of serving as acting president has been transformational and convinced him he wants to have the position on a permanent basis.

"Southeast, to me, has been a real discovery," he said, adding he didn't know much about the university before the presidency became available. "But as I have learned about it, and I have read and talked to people about it, I have been increasingly impressed with the commitment it has to the core mission of the institution, academics and the students."

He also discussed what he thinks are the main responsibilities of a university's president.

"I see that person as being the one who essentially has to exercise institutional leadership," he said. "Institutional leadership incorporates talking about the mission and the vision of the institution and actually getting people excited about it."

When asked what strategies he would use to engage the community, Vargas-Aburto said he would get a sense of whom he should connect with initially, such as leaders of local organizations and city officials.

"I would like to meet individuals one-on-one as much as possible," he said. "I am very visible in the community where I live and where the university is ... and I'm very accessible. I don't keep people away from me or anything. I'm a good listener, too.

"I really want to give different sectors of the community an opportunity to get to know me, and I would like to get to know them. Because that actually enhances my ability to have the institution be more responsive to the needs that they have."

Finalists Margaret Madden and Paul Plotkowski met with the public and university officials last week, and Benjamin Ola. Akande will be the last candidate to visit campus.

He will participate in open forums Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. for faculty and 4 p.m. for students, staff and the public in Glenn Auditorium at Dempster Hall.

The candidates' curriculum vitae, which describe their education and work experience, can be viewed online at semo.edu/presidentialsearch.

The university is encouraging those who participate in the interview process to provide feedback on each candidate via an electronic survey available online at semo.edu/presidentialsearch.

All feedback must be received by 5 p.m. Thursday, and the board of regents will review the comments before making a final decision.

klamb@semissourian.com

388-3639