Published: July 21, 2008 11:30 pm      

FSU BOG to interview interim candidate

List to replace Bradley narrowed

FAIRMONT — Fairmont State is one step closer to having an interim president.

The university’s board of governors will hold an emergency meeting Wednesday to interview a candidate to serve as interim president.

No identifying information about the candidate is currently available.

The board of governors is currently looking for an interim president to helm the university following the departure of current President Dan Bradley. Last month, Bradley accepted the president’s position at Indiana State University. His final day at Fairmont State is July 30.

Board of Governors Chairman Andy Kniceley said the group has narrowed the list of potential interim president candidates to two.

The interim president search included internal candidates, retired chancellors from the state Higher Education Policy Commission, retired state college administrators, current HEPC senior staff and retired educators, Kniceley said.

“It is our hope to have an interim president chosen before President Bradley’s last day, July 30,” Kniceley said.

After an interim president is chosen, the focus will turn toward finding a full-time president.

Kniceley said the board of governors is working closely with the HEPC and Chancellor Brian Noland to get the process moving. Currently, the focus is on accepting Request For Proposals from national search firms to help with the search and collecting names of candidates for the search committee. Kniceley said he hopes to have the search committee members ready to be chosen at the BOG’s next regular meeting on Thursday, Aug. 14.

The faculty will have a solid voice on the committee, Kniceley said. In addition to the faculty’s representative to the board of governors, the faculty will have three spots on the search committee. FSU Provost Maria Rose will also serve on the committee, giving the faculty five voices, Kniceley said.

It is not known how many members the search committee will have.

Kniceley also said the faculty and staff will have the opportunity to meet the finalists for the full-time position once they are chosen.

Choosing the next president of Fairmont State University will be a six- to nine-month process, Kniceley said.

E-mail Katie Wilson at kwilson@timeswv.com.