December 1, 2000 - Finalists Named for MnSCU Chancellor Position

Contact: Director of Publications and Media Relations
(651) 296-0541 or Fax (651) 0872

Three finalists for the position of chancellor of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities were announced today by the Search Advisory Committee. The committee, chaired by Vance Opperman, has forwarded the finalists' names to the Board of Trustees. The Board will interview the finalists on Monday and Tuesday.

The finalists are Owen Cargol, president of the University of Maine at Augusta; James McCormick, chancellor of the State System of Higher Education for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; and William Sederburg, president of Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Mich.

Name:	Owen Cargol
Current position:	President 1996-present University of Maine at Augusta
Previous position:	President, Cleveland State Community College, Tennessee Vice President for Academic Affairs, Highline College, Seattle, Wash. Dean, Louisiana State University and North Idaho College
Credentials:	D.Ed.	Pennsylvania State University Higher Education Administration
	M.Ed.	Oregon State University Adult & Higher Education Administration
	B.S.	Oregon State University Horticulture
	B.S.	Louisiana State University Business Administration

Name:	James McCormick
Current position:	Chancellor, State System of Higher Education, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 1983-present
Previous position:	President, Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Vice President for Administration and Finance, Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania
Credentials:	Ed.D.	University of Pittsburgh Educational Administration
	M.Ed.	University of Pittsburgh Secondary Education
	B.S.	Indiana University of Pennsylvania History and Political Science

Name:	William Sederburg
Current position:	President, Ferris State University 1994-present
Previous position:	Vice President for Public Policy, Public Opinion Research Institute Michigan State Senator President, Survey Research Company
Credentials:	Ph.D.	Michigan State University Political Science, Public Administration
	M.A.	Michigan State University Political Science
	B.A.	Mankato State University Education and Political Science

The 16-member search committee, made up of students, faculty, presidents, trustees and representatives of various constituency groups, began its work in June and has spent over 40 hours on the selection process. The committee reviewed all applications, narrowed the field of applicants, interviewed 10 candidates and selected the finalists based on the position description developed by the Board of Trustees.

On Monday, the Board of Trustees will meet in International Hall, 4th floor World Trade Center, at 8 a.m. Beginning at 9 a.m. the Board will meet in small groups to interview the candidates. At noon, MnSAT will be broadcasting live interviews with each candidate to all 53 campuses in the MnSCU system. Beginning again at 2 p.m., small group interviews will continue throughout the afternoon.

On Tuesday, the full Board will interview candidates, one by one, in International Hall from 8 a.m. to noon. The Board will meet at 2 p.m. for the purpose of selecting a chancellor. A complete schedule of the times and locations of all of the sessions will be available at the 5th floor reception desk of the World Trade Center. All of the board meetings are open to the public.

MnSCU is made up of 35 colleges and universities. The system has a fall semester headcount enrollment of 153,000 students.

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