Two of MSU’s six colleges will be deanless next fall.

Dr. Rodney Cate, interim dean of the College of Science and Math, and Dr. Barbara Nemecek, dean of the Dillard College of Business, are stepping down.

A national search to select permanent deans has already begun, according to Provost Dr. Alicia White.

There will be four finalists for each position.

“Both searches were expected,” White said. “One search is to replace someone who left to become provost in 2010 so we knew a search had to be conducted to name a permanent replacement. The second search is to replace someone whose three-year contract is ending (Nemecek).

Cate, who has been a professor at MSU since 1978, was made interim dean in July 2010. The dean before him held the position five years.

“It’s common to put someone in as interim dean while a search is conducted,” White said. “We cancelled the search last year because of budget uncertainties.”

As a tenured full-time professor of chemistry, Cate said he will return to the chemistry program if he is not chosen to remain as dean of the college.

Cate said since he has been dean there have been many issues put in front of him.

“The maintenance of leadership continuity throughout this transition period was my initial goal,” Cate said. “One large component was the continuance and development of assessment needs as directed for not only our college, but the entire campus.”

He said another continuing endeavor he has contributed as dean is the growth of several of the college programs.

In 2009, administrators pulled Nemecek out of retirement to be the dean of the Dillard College on a term contract that ends this summer.

White said she was hired specifically because of her experience with the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

“She worked with the college faculty on accreditation,” she said. “She did a great job with that and now its time to find a permanent dean.”

Nemecek served as dean at two other universities.

“The best accomplishment in the past three years has been completing the AACSB accrediation and moving the Dillard College to a new level of quality,” Nemecek said. “I would like to be known for helping the college in this accomplishment.”

Two committees, made up of faculty, have been created to manage the dean searches. White said each committee sends her a list of strengths and weakness of each acceptable candidate.

The provost then will make an offer after obtaining input from stakeholders and in consultations with MSU President Dr. Jesse Rogers.

White said administrators hope to have both positions in place by next semester.