The NDSU Presidential Search Committee, charged by the State Board of Higher Education to evaluate candidates for the NDSU presidency, has narrowed a nationwide pool of highly qualified applicants to five candidates who will interview on campus between Jan. 24-Feb. 3.
“The candidates bring leadership experience from flagship universities, institutions with robust and growing research portfolios, and land grant institutions,” said Jill Louters, State Board of Higher Education vice chair. “We’re excited to bring these talented leaders to campus.”
Louters is co-chairing the NDSU Presidential Search Committee with Greg Lardy, NDSU vice president for agriculture. Both said they were impressed with the extremely strong pool of candidates.
The candidates include presidents, chancellors and vice chancellors, and provosts.
The candidates are:
• David Cook, vice chancellor for public affairs and economic development, University of Kansas at Lawrence
• Hesham El-Rewini, provost and senior vice president of academic affairs, Marymount University in Washington, D.C. area
• Mary Holz-Clause, chancellor for the University of Minnesota Crookston and acting executive chancellor for Crookston and University of Minnesota Morris campuses
• Debra Larson, provost and vice president of academic affairs, California State University at Chico
• Michael Tidwell, immediate past president, University of Texas at Tyler
During their campus visits, the candidates will meet with students, faculty, staff, alumni, friends, and campus and community leaders. The search committee will solicit feedback from those key stakeholder groups.
Following the on-campus interviews, the search committee will recommend an unranked slate of finalists to the State Board of Higher Education. The board will conduct final interviews on the NDSU campus on Wednesday, Feb. 23, with the selection of the next NDSU president announced thereafter. It is anticipated that the new NDSU president will assume office in June.
Originally, 47 candidates met qualifications and were forwarded to the Presidential Search Committee for their initial review.
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