Another finalist for the Iowa State presidency withdraws

AMES — A second of four finalists for the Iowa State University president post has dropped out of contention, days after another candidate earlier this week declined to continue with the process.

Originally, four finalists were supposed to visit the Ames campus next week for public forums and on-campus interviews. After one of the finalists declined an invitation to move into the public portion of the interview process, Iowa State earlier this week announced three public forums for Nov. 4, 5 and 6.

The Board of Regents announced the second candidate withdrawal Friday afternoon — leaving just two candidates scheduled to visit Wednesday and Thursday of next week.

Each finalist’s name will be made public 24 hours before their on-campus visit.

Following the campus visits, the regents will meet in closed session Nov. 11 at Iowa State to hear from the co-chairs of the search committee, interview the finalists, and name a new president.

A public introduction of the new president is tentatively planned for 6 p.m. in ISU’s Memorial Union.

The 12-member search committee charged with finding outgoing ISU President Wendy Wintersteen’s successor spent two full days Oct. 20 and 21 interviewing eight semifinalists chosen from a pool of 78 applicants.

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

The first candidate to withdraw was No. 48; the second that withdrew Friday was No. 38.

The updated candidate visit schedule is:

Livestreaming of each forum will be available on the Iowa Board of Regents website.

Vanessa Miller covers higher education for The Gazette.

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