Provost nominees chosen: University finds 9 potential replacements for Riordan

The provost search committee co-chairs announced to the university at large that nine candidates to fill the position vacated by Christine Riordan have expressed interest in the job.

Dean of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environment Nancy Cox and Vice President for Student Affairs Robert Mock wrote in a campus-wide email on Thursday that 30 nominations were received by Monday, Jan. 5.

According to a previous email from the provost search committee, interested nominees were contacted and asked to provide a resume by that Friday.

“Nine nominees provided the committee with written expressions of interest, letters that briefly outlined their qualifications and experience for this critical position,” Mock and Cox wrote in the email.

UK spokesperson Jay Blanton said the names of those candidates will not be released at present.

He confirmed that the nominations received were from within the university.

The committee and university president Eli Capilouto will interview the candidates in the next 10 days and hopes to guide a candidate or candidates around campus during the first week of February, the email read.

The candidates will be announced then, Blanton said. According to the search committee’s email, they will meet with staff and students on campus and take part in an open forum.

“We have been both heartened and impressed by the quality of the nominees and candidates, their commitment to this place and their strong sense that this is a critical moment for our institution,” Mock and Cox wrote in the email. “We look forward to bringing this process to a successful conclusion and using the dialogue with and among campus leaders to have a positive discussion about the future.”

Staff Report