The group charged with finding the next University of Georgia president is on track to send recommendations to the state Board of Regents by the end of the month.
Regent Larry Walker, who leads the search committee, said this week the group could narrow the pool to as few as three candidates. The regents will make the final decision and they may add additional candidates.
President Michael Adams is stepping down June 30, having led the state’s flagship university for 16 years. The regents have said they would like to select his replacement this spring and could vote on a finalist in March.
The search committee is scheduled to interview nine candidates this month, Walker said. That group includes five presidents, three provosts and a dean of a “large school within a large public university,” he said.
Under state law, the regents do not have to release the names of those who applied for the job or are being interviewed. The University System of Georgia is required to release only the names of finalists.
The public will have just five days to learn about the finalists and express concerns and comments. Other state agencies and local governments have a 14-day waiting period between naming finalists and voting on an official hire. A special provision for the regents concerning presidential finalists was added when lawmakers overhauled the Georgia Open Records Act last year.
The regents have said the old review period put the University System at a disadvantage because some candidates were uncomfortable with extensive public vetting. The board requested the change before Adams announced he was stepping down.
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