The University of Wyoming has released their official response to a lawsuit filed by three media outlets regarding the secrecy with which UW is conducting its search for a new president.

In the response, filed in Albany County District Court, the University of Wyoming renewed their claim that secrecy widened the pool of potential applicants from which to choose a person to succeed President Tom Buchanan next year.

The Casper Star-Tribune, Wyoming Tribune Eagle and The Associated Press filed the lawsuit in November in state District Court in Laramie, arguing that the public has the right to know the finalists for the job.  The media outlets cited that UW is the only public-funded four year University in the state and that a new president would potentially be a person and title of great public interest to Wyoming residents.

In the official response, the university points to an op-ed piece written by UW Board of Trustees President where he stresses the need for confidentiality.

The University argues that the goal of the search is to "attract the greatest number of the most experienced and highest qualified persons to become candidates for the position of President of the University of Wyoming."  They go on, in the official response, to note that they are seeking current high-ranking executive officers of other colleges and universities on both national and international levels.

UW then alleges that sitting, high-ranking officials of other colleges an universities "who are currently candidates for the position of president of the University of Wyoming will withdraw from the candidate pool unless confidentiality of their identities can be assured.

The search for a new UW president has been on going since current president Tom Buchanan announced his coming retirement, last September.  The University, in court paperwork, has said that the target date for the selection of a new president is February 27, 2013.

Buchanan is set to retire during the summer next year.

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