First provost candidate visits campus

Denise Cobb, one of three candidates selected to interview for provost, gave her vision of what Grand Valley would look like in five years if she was selected for the position.

Cobb is the interim provost and vice chancellor for Academic Affairs at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. She gave two open presentations on January 13 at the Kirkhof Center on the Allendale Campus and the DeVos Center on the Pew Grand Rapids Campus.

She said her vision for Grand Valley wouldn't matter much, more so that the university had a shared vision of moving forward. "Part of how we shape vision is around conversations," Cobb said. "Together we will think about where we want to go that honors the commitment to a shared governance."

Cobb said she was excited to apply for the provost position, as Grand Valley resembles her undergraduate institution: the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

"I'm a first-generation college graduate. The kinds of opportunities I have had have been shaped by that experience," she said. "Part of my vision is rooted in developing experiences for students."

Throughout her presentation, Cobb stressed maintaining Grand Valley's values of a student-centered experience, teaching excellence and an inclusive and diverse campus.

Cobb was named interim provost at SIUE in 2015. Since 2012 she has served as assistant provost for Academic Innovation and Effectiveness and then associate provost for Academic Affairs. Cobb joined SIUE's faculty in the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice in 2003. In 2010, she was named director of assessment.

Cobb earned a doctorate in sociology from Tulane University. She earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and a master’s degree in sociology from the University of Central Arkansas.

The other two candidates, Jann Joseph and Stephen L. Esquith, will give public presentations on January 17 and January 19, respectively.