Search committee interviewing ISU presidential finalists Monday, Tuesday

The 12 committee members leading Iowa State University’s search for its next president began interviewing semifinalists Monday from Ames — with eight candidates invited to participate in the virtual closed-session discussions over the next two days.

The committee isn’t identifying the eight semifinalists chosen from an applicant pool of 78 — or sharing any details, like gender breakdown. Rather, the committee identified them by the candidate numbers 23, 25, 32, 38, 43, 48, 49, and 72.

The committee — which includes four regents, two ISU students, three ISU faculty, two ISU alumni, and one ISU staff member — began the virtual interviews at 9 a.m. Monday from the ISU Alumni Center and expect to complete the first five by 6 p.m.

They’ll resume interviews with the final three Tuesday and will reconvene in open session to discuss next steps — including the number of finalists who’ll visit campus the first week of November.

The name of each finalist will be released to the public 24 hours before they are scheduled to visit the campus for in-person interviews and a public forum.

Then, on Nov. 11, the full nine-member Board of Regents will interview each finalist in closed session in the ISU Alumni Center — with plans to announce a new president later that day.

The board is scheduled to hold its regular November meeting on Nov. 12-13.

The hiring timeline follows ISU President Wendy Wintersteen’s retirement timeline. She announced in May plans to step down by January 2026.

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Having served the last eight years as Iowa State’s 16th president — and first woman in the role — Wintersteen, 68, will wrap her 46-year stint with the university, where she began her career in 1979 as one of the first female ISU Extension associates in integrated pest management.

Regents have final say in presidential pick

Before Wintersteen’s retirement announcement, the Legislature in 2024 passed Senate File 2435 giving regents the final say in not just selecting Iowa’s public university presidents — but in naming the semifinalists and finalists.

“When electing a president of an institution of higher learning, the board may use a presidential selection committee,” according to the new law. “Only members of the board shall serve as voting members of a presidential selection committee.”

Rep. Taylor Collins, R-Mediapolis, in light of Wintersteen’s news, wrote the board in May reminding regents of the change.

“This is a significant departure from past presidential selection processes where the Board of Regents abdicated their responsibility in electing a university president, allowing candidates to be narrowed down by some of the most extreme factions of the campus community,” Collins wrote. “These past processes were not only a mistake, but following such an approach in the selection of Iowa State's next president would now be illegal.

“I trust the board recognizes the legislative intent and importance of this change.”

In selecting the eight semifinalists, the 12-member committee earlier this month agreed by consensus on the individuals they wanted back for this week’s virtual interviews — and did not cast any vote in open session.

Vanessa Miller covers higher education for The Gazette.

Comments: (319) 339-3158; vanessa.miller@thegazette.com