Five finalists have been picked from more than 60 candidates vying to become Boise State University’s seventh president.
The finalists were named Sunday, and selected after a presidential search screening committee interviewed 12 semifinalists last week.
Here are the finalists, listed in alphabetical order, with biographical information supplied by State Board of Education:
Susan E. Borrego, chancellor of the University of Michigan-Flint and a nationally renowned leader and advocate for student success. Under Borrego’s leadership the university footprint grew by 25 percent including breaking ground on a 65,000-square-foot addition to the science facilities; established a school of nursing, and raised more than $57 million. New academic partnerships were created in Spain, and 15 new innovative academic programs were created including green chemistry and physician’s assistant programs.
Darren Dawson, dean of the College of Engineering at Kansas State University. Dawson manages a college of 160 faculty, 3,600 undergraduate students, 440 graduate students and 75 members of the professional staff, with annual research expenditures over $28 million. Dawson’s research activities led to eight books, more than 500 publications and more than 12,000 citations. At Kansas State, Dawson worked with various departments to develop a strategic research emphasis-area plan leading to the hiring of additional faculty, catalyzing research, and providing additional educational support for graduate and undergraduate students.
Andrew Marcus, professor of geography and the former dean of the College Arts and Sciences at the University of Oregon, a position he held from 2013 to December 2018. The College of Arts and Sciences is the largest college at the y. university, and is the academic home to more than 60 percent of the student body. Marcus was responsible for an operating budget of more than $150 million, 500 tenure-track faculty, 250 non-tenure-track faculty, and 200 staff. During his 15-year tenure at the university, Marcus has served as faculty member, university Senate president, department head, associate dean and dean.
Edward Seidel, vice president for economic development and innovation (VPEDI) for the University of Illinois System, with universities in Urbana-Champaign, Chicago and Springfield. The system’s three universities offer more than 500 academic programs to more than 85,000 students. As VPEDI, Seidel works closely with the president of the University of Illinois System, university chancellors and leadership, government officials, business leaders and universities across the state to engage potential public and private partnerships to strengthen the links between higher education, research, and business to drive innovation and stimulate economic development across the state of Illinois.
Marlene Tromp, provost and executive vice chancellor at the University of California, Santa Cruz, a university with approximately 20,000 students, an operating budget of more than $700 million, and research expenditures in excess of $120 million. Tromp is responsible for providing leadership for all academic and administrative components of UCSC, including curriculum, finance, operations, and facilities. Prior to her arrival at UC Santa Cruz, Tromp served in various administrative roles at Arizona State University.
Arrangements are underway for the finalists to visit the Boise State campus beginning this week.
Open forums are planned for students, faculty, staff, and the public to meet and hear from the finalists. There will also be an online portal available to provide feedback about the candidates.
Additional information about the search, the finalists, campus visit itineraries, and the candidate feedback portal will be posted on the Boise State website: https://www.boisestate.edu/presidentialsearch/
