A Detroit-area doctor may be the next person to head MSU’s College of Human Medicine.

The recommendation for the new dean of the college was presented to the MSU Board of Trustees and will be voted on at its next meeting Feb. 14.

The candidate, Dr. Glenn Davis, said it has been a long and exhaustive process to find the new dean.

“A large number of candidates were screened,” Davis said. “Two weeks ago, I got invited to meet with provost and the president, then I realized I was the preferred candidate.”

If selected, Davis will replace interim Dean Dr. Chris Colenda.

Davis is the corporate vice president of academic affairs at Detroit’s Henry Ford Health Systems, and said his current job has comparable responsibility.

“My role at Henry Ford has been similar to being a dean,” he said. “I oversee all the research and educational programs.”

Although Davis has had limited ties to MSU in the past, he said he is looking forward to the opportunity to pursue his goals.

“I am excited to be in a leadership position, and to get to shape an advanced vision of the school,” Davis said. “How we are going to expand is an area I plan to focus on.”

During the selection process, Davis spoke to the university on a topic of his choice - to maintain excellence, accountability and strategic directions at MSU, he said.

“What I plan to do is to enhance research at the school,” Davis said. “One exciting opportunity at MSU is to better integrate the medical school with other colleges like engineering, veterinary school and even arts and sciences.”

MSU President M. Peter McPherson said Davis’ background made him an excellent choice.

“Dr. Davis has the experience and leadership in both academic matters and in the practice of medicine to take this school to the next level,” he said. “One of the medical school’s goals is to increase the research the school does.

“I believe Dr. Davis can provide the leadership to achieve this.”

MSU Provost Lou Anna Simon also has confidence in Davis’ abilities.

“Dr. Davis will bring a wealth of leadership experience to MSU,” Simon said in a prepared statement. “I will look to him to assure continued evolution of the college’s educational program and to enhance scholarship and research in both clinical and basic science departments.”

Davis said he looks forward to the opportunity to work with the university’s medical students.

“I oversee a lot of medical students now, but they don’t think of Henry Ford as their home or alma mater,” Davis said. “Now, what I (may) have is MSU students who think of themselves as MSU students, and I can be much more intimately involved with the students than I have been.

“They can partly remember when they graduate me being part of their MSU experience.”