After receiving 78 applications for Iowa State University’s next president, the search has been narrowed to eight candidates.
President Wendy Wintersteen announced her intent to retire on May 16, the culmination of an Iowa State career that spanned 40 years. She is Iowa State’s 16th president and the first woman to hold the university’s highest office.
Wintersteen plans to retire in January, giving the Regents more than six months to find a replacement.
The Iowa Board of Regents established the Iowa State University presidential search committee in June and tabbed search firm AGB Search to assist.
On Monday, Oct. 6, the committee met in closed session to discuss the applicants. The committee emerged from a three-hour discussion with eight semifinalists.
Candidate identities will remain confidential until the final interviews are held on campus in November.
Virtual semifinalist interviews have been scheduled from Oct. 20-22, and will take place in closed session. Following semifinalist interviews, the board will identify the number of finalists who will be invited to visit ISU’s campus.
ISU’s next president will be decided in November
Finalist interviews are scheduled for the week of Nov. 3, with one finalist visiting campus each day.
Visits will include meetings with selected members of the campus community and each finalist will hold an open forum, which will be open to the public and livestreamed.
The Board of Regents will interview all finalists in closed session on Nov. 11, and is expected to select and announce ISU’s next president later that day.
What will be the defining qualities of Iowa State’s next president?
In a July 22 meeting, the search committee determined the various qualities and attributes it’s seeking for Iowa State’s next president.
The search committee wants Iowa State’s next president to have the ability to find unique solutions and flexibility; to plan strategically; put students first; and have respect for faculty and staff contributions. The next president must have complex fiscal management oversight and the ability to unify and build a campus-wide team.
Celia Brocker is a government, crime, political and education reporter for the Ames Tribune. She can be reached at CBrocker@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: ISU presidential search narrowed to eight candidates; decision to be made in November
Reporting by Celia Brocker, Ames Tribune / Ames Tribune
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