University of Minnesota narrows search for next president

U president Eric Kaler announces that he is leaving in July 2019.
University of Minnesota President Eric Kaler announces that he is leaving effective July 2019, during a news conference in the MacNamara Alumni Center on July 13, 2018, in Minneapolis.
Elizabeth Flores | Star Tribune via AP

The committee searching for the next president of the University of Minnesota said Friday that it has narrowed its field of candidates.

In a statement, the committee said it interviewed nine people from a field of 67 applicants. The candidates interviewed included five women and four men; one-third of the interviewees were people of color.

The overall applicant pool was 78 percent men, 22 percent women and 25 percent people of color.

Since that first round of interviews in the first half of November, the committee has further narrowed the field to conduct additional vetting.

"This vetting will include verification of credentials, reference calls, credit history review, and civil, criminal, and DMV background checks," the committee's statement read.

After that is complete, the committee will meet again to finalize its recommendations to the Board of Regents.

Current University of Minnesota President Eric Kaler announced earlier this year that he'll retire in July 2019.

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