BOISE - The Idaho State Board of Education today announced the names of two candidates invited to visit campus in the next round of interviews to determine who will lead the University of Idaho. The new president will fill the vacancy created by the departure of Dr. Robert Hoover, who resigned in April 2003.
The candidates are Dr. Stephen Jones, Vice Chancellor Extension and Engagement at North Carolina State University; and Dr. Timothy White, Provost and Executive Vice President at Oregon State University in Corvallis.
Beginning next week, the candidates will visit University of Idaho campuses to meet with faculty, staff, students, campus organizations and community representatives. During these visits the public will be invited to an open forum where candidates will make opening remarks and participate in a question and answer session.
"After an extensive selection and interview process, which included more than 70 candidates, the Screening Committee believes it has found two individuals who are capable of providing the strong, dynamic leadership necessary to lead the University of Idaho to the next level of excellence," said Jim Hammond, Vice President of the State Board of Education and Chairman of the Presidential Screening Committee. "We appreciate the efforts of the Committee in selecting these individuals and look forward to introducing these outstanding candidates to the University of Idaho and the community."
Further background regarding the candidates is as follows:
Dr. Stephen Jones is currently the Vice Chancellor Extension and Engagement at North Carolina State University. Prior to that position, Dr. Jones was the Director of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System at Auburn University in Auburn, Ala. He was also an Adjunct full professor at Alabama A&M University during that same time. He also served as the Assistant Director and Associate Professor at the School of Forest Resources at Pennsylvania State University in State College, Penn. He was the Director of the Northeast Petroleum-Forest Resources Cooperative, and Visiting Instructor at the State University of New York. Dr. Jones received both his Ph.D. in Resources Management, and his bachelor's degree in Forestry from the State University of New York in Syracuse, following an associate's degree in forestry from Allegany Community College in Cumberland, Md.
Dr. Timothy White is the Provost and Executive Vice President at Oregon State University in Corvallis. Dr. White also served an interim appointment as President from late December 2002 to August 2003. He served five years as Dean of the College of Health and Human Sciences and a Professor of Exercise and Sport Science at Oregon State. Prior to his current position, Dr. White was Professor and Chair of the Department of Human Biodynamics at the University of California, Berkeley and Professor and Chair of the Department of Movement Science at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor. Dr. White received his Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, following baccalaureate and master's degrees from California State University Fresno and Hayward, respectively.
A complete vitae of each of the candidates is available on-line at http://www.idahoboardofed.org/presssearch/ .
Each of the candidates will visit University of Idaho campuses in Coeur d'Alene, Moscow, Boise and Idaho Falls the week of January 19. The candidates will meet with faculty and staff, alumni, campus groups, and there will be opportunities for the public to meet the candidates. Details of the candidates' schedules will be released by the University of Idaho and will be available on the Board's website at: http://www.idahoboardofed.org/pressearch/index.asp.
The UI Presidential Screening Committee is comprised of 13 individuals including faculty, administration, staff, students, alumni, foundation, Board of Regents, the Idaho Legislature, and other stakeholders of the University. It is responsible for recruiting and screening applicants, and performing preliminary reference checks. The Committee focused its search on candidates who are outstanding leaders in the higher education arena and have extensive experience with similar or larger land grant institutions.
After the on-campus visits, the most qualified candidates will be forwarded to the State Board of Education, who will ultimately make the decision as to which candidate is hired for the position. The Board will interview each of the candidates on February 11 in Boise. The announcement of a new president for the University of Idaho is expected in late February or early March.
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