Finalists for the presidency of the University of Wyoming will be publicly identified and brought to the state for meetings with the public and the campus community before March, the UW Board of Trustees has decided.

Other details of the presidential search will be considered by the board at its June 15 meeting, with recommendations to come from a six-member committee of the board at least a week before that meeting.

The Board of Trustees approved three motions related to the search for a successor to President Dick McGinity, who recommended in March that the board initiate a search for a new president to succeed him at the conclusion of his contract in summer 2016.

Under one motion, the board adopted a process in which the names and application materials of the finalists will be made public. Under another, the board agreed to bring the finalists to campus, and possibly other locations in the state, during the initial weeks of the spring 2016 semester, before Feb. 29.

The third motion extended the mission of the board’s presidential search planning committee to develop a plan that provides the mechanisms, timeline and other details for the presidential search. Those details are expected to address the potential use of a search consultant, appointment and membership of a search committee or committees, vetting of candidates, and efforts to keep the public informed throughout the search.

Added to the presidential search planning committee was Trustee Dave Bostrom of Worland. Other members are Trustees Mel Baldwin of Afton, John MacPherson of Saratoga (chair), Mike Massie of Laramie, Jeff Marsh of Torrington and Michelle Sullivan of Sheridan.

That committee solicited input on the presidential search process from the public electronically and during two open forums last week. In addition, the committee held a series of meetings with UW students, faculty, staff and administrators to seek advice on how the search should be conducted.

Those with input on the search process are still invited to email their ideas to UW.Presidential.Search@uwyo.edu. A presidential search Web page has been established at www.uwyo.edu/presidentsearch, and people can offer comments there as well.

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