CSU presidential search committee narrows field

The search for Columbus State University’s next president has been narrowed from more than 50 applicants to 11 candidates.

The 17-member selection committee met in closed session for four hours Wednesday to whittle the field, CSU assistant vice president for university relations John Lester said Thursday. Committee chairman John Finley, associate professor of business administration and executive officer of CSU’s Faculty Senate, wasn’t reached for comment.

The committee will interview the 11 candidates next week in Atlanta during closed sessions, Lester said, then choose approximately five candidates to bring to Columbus for campus visits and public presentations in early March.

“The committee was very pleased with the number and quality of the applications they had,” Lester said. “They feel like there was a good caliber of applicants and they got 11 people from a diversity of backgrounds and geographic regions around the country.”

Lester added, “The committee process has gone very smoothly. There’s a good camaraderie among the committee members, and they sound like they’re excited about the next steps.”

Former CSU president Tim Mescon announced his retirement five months ago. He completed six years in the position Dec. 31. Tom Hackett, the provost and vice president for academic affairs at CSU, has been serving as interim president.

After the candidates’ campus visits, the committee will recommend 3-5, without ranking them, to the University System Board of Regents. The Special Regents’ Search Committee will recommend an unspecified number of finalists to chancellor Hank Huckaby, who will recommend his top choice to the full board.

Mark Rice, 706-576-6272. Follow Mark on Twitter@MarkRiceLE.

This story was originally published February 12, 2015 at 5:54 PM with the headline "CSU presidential search committee narrows field."