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Committee To Debate Candidate Confidentiality in Search For Next UK President

By Brenna Angel

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wuky/local-wuky-948507.mp3

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky's Presidential Search Committee is midway through its timeline in searching for the institution's next leader. UK Board of Trustees Chairman Britt Brockman says the goal is to extend an offer to the top finalist by May. Current UK President Lee Todd will retire June 30.

"I think what will happen between February 1st and mid-March, is we'll start vetting down what is really a large amount of interested parties. There are many candidates who have expressed interest, who've put their name in nomination, or been nominated. We're talking hundreds of candidates have expressed interest. So that will be vetted down."

The search committee will host three forums Friday Jan. 28 for the campus community. But that may be as far as the public gets to go in having a say about UK's next president.

There's a trend among leadership positions in higher education: some candidates who already have good, high-level jobs don't want it getting out that they're job-hunting. So instead of three to five finalists being announced, Brockman says only one name, the Board's top pick, will likely be made public.

"The question you have to ask yourself is Which trumps what, a process or the end result?' I mean if the two best candidates will recuse themselves do you settle for second-best for the sake of process? And I think that's what has to be debated this Friday at the search committee."

Following the forums, members will consider just how transparent and open their interviews of finalists should be. The search committee's recommendation will be passed on to the Board of Trustees, which will vote on the issue at its February meeting.