One of four ISU president finalists drops out of contention

AMES — One of the four finalists a search committee selected to become its next Iowa State University president has decided not to continue with the public portion of the interview process — leaving just three in the running and on track to visit campus next week.

The 12-member search committee spent two full days Oct. 20 and 21 interviewing eight semifinalists chosen from a pool of 78 candidates who applied to succeed outgoing ISU President Wendy Wintersteen.

Following those closed-door virtual interviews, the committee narrowed their top choices down to applicant numbers 32, 38, 48 and 72 as finalists.

Finalists 32, 38, and 72 accepted the invitation to continue in the interview process and visit campus for public forums Nov. 4, 5, and 6; finalist 48 declined the invitation, according to Board of Regents spokesman Josh Lehman.

“The three candidates coming to campus are the finalists for the position,” Lehman said, confirming candidate 48 is no longer in contention for the job.

A schedule for the ISU presidential finalist forums is as follows:

Each forum also will be livestreamed on the Iowa Board of Regents website, iowaregents.edu.

Finalist names will be announced 24 hours before their scheduled visit. Each candidate’s curriculum vitae will be made public at that time on the ISU presidential search website.

Following the campus visits, the Board of Regents will meet in closed session Nov. 11 on the ISU campus to hear from the co-chairs of the search committee — regent JC Risewick and ISU Faculty Senate President Meghan Gillette.

The full board then will interview finalists and name a new president — tentatively scheduled for 6 p.m. Nov. 11 in ISU’s Memorial Union.

Vanessa Miller covers higher education for The Gazette.

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