UK courts Auburn's Jenda for diversity post

By: Amy Weaver | Opelika Auburn News
Published: December 20, 2007

After nearly 20 years on the Plains, Dr. Overtoun Jenda may be getting lured away from Auburn University.

He will travel to Lexington next month to interview for the position of vice president for institutional diversity at his alma mater, the University of Kentucky.

Jenda earned both his master’s and Ph.D. from UK, but he admitted the job would have to be pretty spectacular to pull him away from Auburn. He has spent the past two years as the associate provost for diversity and multicultural affairs.

"They are trying to play the Jay Gogue card," he joked. Dr. Jay Gogue obtained two of his three degrees from Auburn and was swayed away from the presidency at the University of Houston this spring when his alma mater asked him to come back.

Jenda is flattered to be considered for the job, especially since he didn’t even apply for it. The other finalist is Judy "J.J." Jackson, associate professor of education and dean at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.

He says UK officials told him they want someone to develop the structure for a diversity program. That is exactly what Jenda has been doing at Auburn for the past two years.

"It’s been a good two years," he said. "I’ve surrounded myself with good people and we need to keep moving forward."

In March, his office will officially open the new Women’s Resource Center in Mary Martin Hall. It will serve as the home for Dr. Donna Sollie, assistant provost for women’s initiatives, and subsequent programs, including the new Women in Science and Engineering Institute, Jenda said.

Even though Jenda has been a faculty member at Auburn since 1988, this may not be the right time to move on. But then again, it might, so Jenda’s not ruling anything out until after his trip. He jokes about he could have saved himself from all this worry had he politely declined the offer.

"This is good, but it’s scary," he said. "If they don’t like me, fine, but if they do, then I am going to have to talk with (Provost) Dr. (John) Heilman," he admitted. Jenda said he told Heilman, his direct supervisor, about his candidacy because he promised he would let him know if a day like this ever came.

It’s not only scary because the job offer could be great, but because he knows how much work it takes to build a program up. But then again, it could be a mutually beneficial experience. They could learn from each other. Anything’s possible, Jenda said.