By Nico MachlittSTAFF WRITER

Senior Vice President and Provost Herman Berliner will retire at the end of this academic year. Earlier this year, University President Stuart Rabinowitz announced Berliner’s retirement. Berliner has served as provost for 25 years.

A committee has been created for the hiring process of a new provost. The committee is made up of 21 members that represent the administration, the board of trustees and the faculty. The head of the executive committee in each school nominates representatives for each party. In addition, several faculty members hold elected positions such as speaker, chair, chair of caucus and chairman of senate executive committees.

The provost hiring committee seeks to pull from the widest range of candidates available. The University works with an outside recruiting firm in choosing the new provost. The firm is in the process of choosing candidates that would be a good fit and are interested in the position.

“The position of provost is a big job. We are looking for someone who has strong academic credibility and credentials that would merit the tenure in Hofstra. We are looking for someone with experience at higher administrative levels in a university,” said Dean Bernard Firestone of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University.

“Someone who understands how universities are changing, particularly private universities, would be a favorable candidate. Also, someone who has the qualities of a personality that suggests that they would work with everyone at the University,” he said.

At some point in the near future, the committee that represents the constituencies at the University will choose a number of applicants to come to the University and meet with them. The committee is in charge of making approximately three recommendations to Rabinowitz. Provost Berliner will make the final decision as to who will replace him.