Provost Candidate David Newton Concludes Visit

Empire State Building, NEW YORK– Provost Candidate David Newton spoke to students, staff and faculty present at noon Friday, April 20 in Classroom 1. Newton is currently a business professor at Westmont College in California and graduated from the Briarcliff Manor King's in 1981.

If selected, Newton said he would bring his experience working with start-up companies to King's. Citing an article published in the Harvard Business Review in 1980 by William Hall, Newton explained the two most common factors successful organizations embody: either they produce at the lowest cost or their product is the most unique. Newton believes the "unique mission" and location of King's differentiate the college from others in the Christian college market.

"Now King's ... could become a killer strategic thrust," he said. Newton envisions a long waiting list in the future for King's but said it won't come without clear and intentional steps to articulate and practice what makes King's unique in its market.

He believes the two primary goals of any college are to ensure quality academics and accreditation.

When asked about his view of the human condition, Newton said, "We've fallen but we also have this innate desire for creativity, for innovation, for inquiry– that's what makes a great collegiate environment."

One way Newton hopes to foster this kind of environment is membership with Phi Kappa Phi, a 116-year-old national honor society that hosts lectures and discussion three times a year between undergraduate liberal arts students and faculty. The top five percent of juniors and top ten percent of seniors at member colleges are admitted.

"It's certainly something I'd like to bring to King's," Newton said.

Newton has written numerous books and articles and has taught at Pepperdine, the University of Massachusetts and Westmont College.  He has also spoken at universities, The Heritage Foundation, Republican assemblies, chambers of commerce, on CNN Radio (and other stations) and more.  Newton has served as academic advisor and reviewer for various competitions and competitive papers and has received 28 awards from publications including Forbes, Freedoms Foundation and Pew Charitable Trust.

Although Newton's expertise lies in business, he said he values all of the elements of the PPE core as well as literature, which he said is the "window into how people thought" and "the lens through which we see the human condition."