By The Keystone Newspaper By Bethany McDonald
On Feb. 24, Dennis Giorno, Chair of the Presidential Search Committee and the Council of Trustees, issued a statement to KU faculty and students that provided an update on the presidential search.
During the 2024 fall semester, the search committee met with various campus constituencies. More than 20 meetings were held with faculty, staff, students, administrators, alumni and community leaders.
More than 500 potential candidates were contacted for the position, resulting in 75 applicants. After reviewing their credentials, the candidates were found to be highly qualified professionals, including current and former university presidents, vice presidents, and deans.
Recently, the search committee has identified a group of candidates for the first round of interviews. Interviews and initial reference checks will begin within the next few weeks. Selected candidates will then be invited to campus to meet with faculty, staff, students, local leaders, and the Council of Trustees. These visits are planned for the weeks of March 24 and March 31.
As part of the selection process, the committee aims to find a balance between transparency and candidate confidentiality. The names of candidates invited to campus will be released 48 hours before their KU visit.
“We thank you for understanding that the best candidates require confidentiality and that the committee members have all agreed to abide by this rule,” Giorno said.
The search committee will continue to move forward with the presidential search.