By Danielle Rush
Area residents will have a chance to meet the four finalists for the job of Indiana University Kokomo chancellor in the next two weeks.
Indiana University officials announced visit dates Tuesday for the finalists, selected by the university search committee led by Nasser Paydar, chancellor at Indiana University East.
Bradley Balch, dean of the College of Education at Indiana State University, will visit Thursday. Michael Harris, provost and vice president for academic affairs at Kettering University will visit Friday. Joe Delap, associate vice president for academic affairs at Jacksonville State University will visit Tuesday, and William Fannin, provost and vice president for academic affairs at The University of Texas of the Permian Basin will visit Feb. 23.
During the visits, the finalists will meet with faculty, staff, students and community members.
Marie Radel, IU Kokomo communications specialist, said during each candidate’s visit, there will be an open session from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Kelley Student Center, Room 221. The public is invited to the sessions.
After the visits, the university search committee will make a recommendation to IU President Michael McRobbie, who will make the selection subject to approval by the IU Board of Trustees.
Radel said the plan is to have a new chancellor hired and in place when the new academic year begins July 1.
The current interim chancellor, Stuart Green, will retire June 30. Green has been interim chancellor since the previous chancellor, Ruth Person, left in August 2008. She is now chancellor at University of Michigan-Flint, after serving as IU Kokomo chancellor for nine years.
Paydar led the 12-member search committee McRobbie appointed.
“We are impressed with the quality of candidates and pleased to see the high level of interest in this search,” Paydar said.
• Danielle Rush is the Kokomo Tribune education reporter. She can be reached at 765-454-8585 or danielle.rush@kokomotribune.com.
