Victim Support head still sought

After over a year of searching, the candidate list for the new Director of Victim Support and Special Services has been narrowed down to five applicants, University Police Commissioner John Kuprevich said last night. "Right now, we know the second round of interviews is going to include at least three people," Kuprevich said. "And [we] have two applicants who deserve initial interviews." The position, which was vacated when Ruth Wells retired in November 1992 for health reasons, is currently filled on an interim basis by Barbara Cassel, who is also assistant vice provost for University Life. Adelaide Delluva, a member of the search committee, said the search has taken so long for several reasons, including late incoming applications and the difficulty in finding qualified applicants. "Part of the trouble is that Ruth Wells did such a damn good job, that it's hard to think of someone else in that position," she added. The director of Victim Support reports to the University Police Commissioner, and is responsible for counseling victims of crime, developing and implementing overall policies and programs and educating the campus community in preventing crimes against women and other forms of victimization, Kuprevich said. Cassel said the director of Victim Support is basically the person responsible for handling crimes of a more sensitive nature. "Essentially what we [at Victim Support] do is we're in touch with anyone who's been victimized to see what their needs may be," she said. An applicant must have experience with police work and "practical" experience, said Delluva, an emeritus professor of biochemistry in the School of Veterinary Medicine. "And we would prefer to see people with compassion, with a deep commitment to safety [and] with tolerance," Delluva said. "All of those really fine qualities that Ruth Wells had an abundance of," she added. Kuprevich said the search committee intends to have student representatives and other members of the community participate in the second round of interviews. The search committee intends to make a final selection by the end of February, Kuprevich said.