Cain College of the Arts in the process of hiring new director for USU art museum

Utah State University has not had a full-time director for the Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art since Victoria Rowe Berry, who formerly had that position, left the museum to work at Oklahoma State University in January.

Though there is currently an interim director, it is important to those working at the museum that someone is able to work full-time in the position, and a committee is currently searching for someone to do so.

Chris Terry, the associate dean for Caine College of the arts and painting professor, currently serves as interim director. He said because of his other responsibilities, he does not have time to plan and organize new exhibitions like a full-time director would.

“If you know you’re only going to be there for a few months until a replacement is hired, you don’t really want to start a long-term vision for the museum that’s going to take us five years ahead,” said Andrea DeHaan, a staff assistant at the museum.

Terry said he will be relieved when the new director is appointed.

“I’ve got three jobs and three offices right now on campus,” Terry said. “I’d be happy to give one of them up.”

Nicholas Morrison, who oversees all searches for the CCA, said six candidates have been interviewed.

“We’ve attracted candidates literally all the way from the east coast to the west coast and in between,” Morrison said. “So it’s not a local thing. It’s a national thing.”

Morrison said all the candidates who have come to campus had a lot of experience in what the job requires.

“We want to get the right person in the position,” Morrison said. “That’s why it’s taking so long. It’s not that there aren’t people out there that could do the job. It’s doing the job really well. That’s the standard that we want to adhere to.”

Morrison said one person had been offered the position. However, the candidate declined because he did not feel it was the right time to leave the job he currently had.

According to Morrison, a candidate will come to USU in the next week. He said he hopes the committee will be able to make a recommendation soon after so the dean of the CCA can start the hiring process soon.