By Kayla Pickrell

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Applications for UK’s provost position are being accepted until February when the search committee will look through the candidates.

The committee opened a website in December to post updates on the search and “interested individuals can go to apply for the provost position or nominate an outstanding candidate,” said Dr. Michael Reid, co-chair of the Provost Search Committee.

To help with nominations and applications, the committee reached out to a search firm named Witt/Keiffer to solicit the applications.

“The firm contract is not to exceed $130, 000,” said Jay Blanton, UK spokesman.

Until February, the search committee will not look at the candidate pool, Dr. Reid said.

“We will select 15 or fewer preliminary candidates for confidential off-campus interviews,” Dr. Reid said.

From there they will recommend five or less candidates to President Eli Capilouto to conduct on-campus interviews, he said.

“The committee has unanimously agreed that the finalists should be announced publicly,” Dr. Reid said.

The committee wants the campus to be able to comment on the finalists before a decision is made by Capilouto.

There will be a series of public forums later this month hosted by the Provost Search Committee, with dates to be announced soon.

According to the website, the committee is looking for particular qualifications in candidates, including extensive administrative experience, a broad understanding of current issues in higher education and the highest standards of ethical decision-making.

Dr. Reid said the process of the search is “very similar” to the one used when Kumble Subbaswamy, former UK provost, was selected in 2006.

Dr. Reid was aslo on the search committee in 2006.

Capilouto said in an email to the Kernel that he was “very appreciative of the leadership being demonstrated by the committee and their commitment of what will be a lot of time to this very important process.”