Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, October 5, 1994                   TAG: 9410050094
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-1   EDITION: NEW RIVER CURRENT 
SOURCE: ALLISON BLAKE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

RU'S ACTING PRESIDENT WANTS THE JOB PERMANENTLY

Charles Owens, appointed acting president in June upon the sudden retirement of long-time President Donald N. Dedmon, made his intentions clear in a memo to university staff and faculty Monday.

Many on campus predicted in recent weeks that Owens would seek the job, following the warm reception he has received in his efforts to set priorities and calm tensions following Dedmon's departure.

Dedmon announced his retirement this summer amid allegations from faculty members that he misused a discretionary fund. He was cleared of any intent of wrongdoing in August after a summer-long audit. He did repay about $2,000 in questionable expenses.

Owens has promised a new effort to make academics the university's priority and try to rid the school of its nagging party image.

A presidential search committee appointed last month has hired an executive search firm, Korn/Ferry International, which has published an advertisement announcing Radford's presidential search. It does not detail specific qualifications.

"Our committee hasn't started working on that," said search committee member Karen Waldron, vice rector of Radford's Board of Visitors.

Today at 12:30, the committee holds an open forum to find out what the campus community wants in a new president.

In his memo, Owens said the search process under way "has my full support."

"I agree that the selection of a successor to Dr. Dedmon is the most crucial task the university has faced in recent years, and the Radford University community deserves the most effective leadership that can be found," Owens stated.