UI presidential search committee recommends finalists

A 21-member search committee tasked with suggesting finalists to become the next University of Iowa president has completed its charge following two full days of candidate interviews.

Interim UI President Jean Robillard told reporters Wednesday evening the committee has given the Board of Regents the names of those candidates it wants to introduce to the UI community Aug. 31 through Sept. 3. Details of the finalists, including how many there are, have not been made public because they have not yet been notified, Robillard said.

'We have to connect with the candidates and make sure they want to go through this process,” Robillard said. 'But the committee's work is done. We've completed our task. Now it's the job of the Board of Regents.”

From a pool of 46 applicants, the search committee invited nine to participate in 'airport interviews” in Chicago over the past two days. Robillard characterized all the candidates as 'outstanding” and said the interview process went 'very well.”

The committee peppered the candidates with questions about everyday life on the UI campus, Robillard said.

'How do you deal with education? How do you deal with research? How do you deal with shared governance?” he said. 'We talked a lot about student life.”

The committee is not disclosing names or even many details about the candidates - including whether the group includes any gender or racial diversity. And the interviews were held in closed session to protect the confidentiality of candidates who might be gainfully and happily employed.

But Robillard said the committee feels 'extremely good and positive” about the names it recommended to the Board of Regents.

'They all would make good presidents,” he said. 'There's no question about that.”

More information could emerge next week regarding the number of finalists that will come to campus to meet students, faculty, and the broader university community. But, Robillard said, names of the finalists will not be announced until 24 hours before they arrive.

He said the committee is not pursuing any other candidates at this time, and its role now will shift to one of a welcoming body. The university will host numerous events for each candidate, including welcome dinners, student and staff meetings, public forums, and presentations.

Each candidate then will meet with the Board of Regents on Sept. 4, and Board President Bruce Rastetter has said he expects to announce a new president soon after.

The university is covering travel and associated expenses for the candidates involved in this week's airport interviews and for those who will come to Iowa City later this month. The Board of Regents also is paying Atlanta-based Parker Executive Search to help facilitate the nationwide hunt.

Former UI President Sally Mason in January announced plans to retire July 31 after eight years leading the campus. Robillard, vice president of medical affairs for UI Health Care, is serving as interim president and head of the search committee but is not interested in staying in the president role.