March 4, 2009
Contact: Spencer Jenkins 801-321-7110

SALT LAKE CITY - Today, the State Board of Regents announced three finalists it will interview for the position of president of Utah Valley University (UVU), which is located in Orem, Utah.  The Presidential Search Committee recommended the finalists from a pool of 46 applicants representing 21 states.

The Board of Regents will meet on Friday, March 6, at 8:00 a.m. to interview candidates in closed session.  The meeting will be held in the Student Center on the UVU campus in Orem.  The Board may convene a public meeting later in the day to select the president, or may reconvene on another day, which would be announced later.

The finalists and their biographies follow (in alphabetical order):

Dr. Kim S. Cameron, is a professor of management and organization in the Steven M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan (UM) and professor of higher education in the School of Education at UM since 2001.  Previously, Dr. Cameron served as the dean for the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University from 1998 to 2001, and as associate dean for the Marriott School of Management at Brigham Young University (BYU) from 1995-1998, where he also served as professor of management.  Dr. Cameron also served as department chair in organizational behavior and human resource management during his time at UM from 1984-1995.  Dr. Cameron holds a doctorate and a master’s degrees in Administrative Sciences from Yale University, and a master’s degree in Social Psychology and a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from BYU.  Dr. Cameron also worked as the director of Organizational Studies Division at the National Center for Higher Education Management (NCHEMS) from 1981 to 1984.

Dr. Jack R. Christianson, executive director of the Center for Engaged Learning at UVU since 2007.  Dr. Christianson recently served as a visiting scholar at BYU. He previously served as the Director and as an instructor at the Orem Institute of Religion of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints adjacent to Utah Valley University.  He also served as the principal of the Timpview LDS Seminary in Provo, Utah.  Dr. Christianson holds a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Buckingham, a master’s degree in educational administration from BYU, and a bachelor’s degree from Weber State University.    He has authored several academic publications as well as authored and contributed to several books and audio publications.   For more than 25 years, he has made presentations in several large-group gatherings including symposia, convocations, workshops, and conventions.

Dr. Matthew S. Holland, associate professor of political science at Brigham Young University since 2001.  Dr. Holland is chairman of the American Heritage Faculty Group at BYU and this year was named the Outstanding Faculty Member for Service Learning.  In 2008, he served as associate director of BYU’s London Study Abroad Program.  He has taught a variety of courses including American Heritage, Modern Political Philosophy, and Public Ethics, and has published several articles and a book on American political thought and leadership.  From 1992 to 1994 he was a management consultant for Monitor Group (Cambridge, Mass.) where he additionally served as Chief of Staff to the CEO.  Following this, he worked as a special assistant to Governor Michael Leavitt and as an independent consultant.  Dr. Holland holds doctorate and master’s degrees in political science from Duke University and a bachelor’s degree in political science from BYU.  He was a Fellow in the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University (2005-06) and a Raoul Wallenberg Scholar at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (1991-92).

"The search committee has advanced the names of three highly qualified finalists,” said Regent Jack Zenger, who co-chaired the Presidential Search Committee with Regent Marlon Snow.  “We are appreciative of the local involvement and support of faculty, students, community members and trustees throughout this process. Everyone should be pleased with the outcome of this extensive effort.”

The committee was comprised of 16 individuals representing the Regents, Utah Valley University Trustees, faculty, staff, students, and community members.

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About Utah Valley University
Utah Valley University (UVU), located in Orem, Utah, is Utah's newest university, having obtained university status on July 1, 2008. From its start as a small technical college in 1941, UVU has grown to become the second-largest public university in Utah with more than 26,000 students. In addition to 58 bachelor's degrees, 60 associate degrees, and 21 certificate programs, UVU offers master's degrees: education and nursing. UVU is a teaching institution rooted in engaged, or experiential, learning. That focus, as well as a long-standing commitment to serving the community, was key criteria when UVU was recently awarded the "Community Engagement" classification by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.