The University of Wyoming Board of Trustees announced Friday the names of three candidates for acting president. The candidates are UW's former Vice President for Governmental and Community Affairs Chris Boswell; former Vice President for Finance and Administration Bill Mai; and current Vice President for Finance and Administration Neil Theobald.
This appointment is for the interim, but the UW Board of Trustees has not discussed details of a search for a permanent president.
At the end of March, the board announced that it would not renew current President Laurie Nichols' contract. No further explanation has been given for that decision, casting a shadow of uncertainty across the UW campus.
University spokesperson Chad Baldwin said the trustees are aware of the frustration and want to bring increased transparency to the current hiring process.
"The information being released today is an attempt on their part, a good faith effort, to keep the public apprised so there's not what's been described as a veil of secrecy," said Baldwin.
Baldwin said the Board of Trustees will interview the three candidates next week during their regularly scheduled meeting, and an announcement of the selected candidate could come as soon as May 20th.
The selected candidate will take over as president on July 1. Baldwin said beyond that, plans have not been defined.
"The board chairman has said it would take approximately one year or until a long-term president is brought on board. That's as specific as they've gotten on that," said Baldwin.
The candidate interviews next week will happen in closed executive sessions, but the board is taking public candidates online until next Tuesday, May 14, at 5 p.m.
