Finalists for UNLV presidency will be interviewed next week

After suspending the search for a new UNLV president this spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a Nevada System of Higher Education committee will interview four finalists next week.

Kenneth Furton, Chris Heavey, Karla Leeper and Keith Whitfield will be interviewed during a meeting that begins at 8:30 a.m. July 22 at UNLV’S Student Union Ballroom.

NSHE says to ensure fairness to candidates, the interviews will not be livestreamed. Up to 50 members of the public are allowed to attend in-person, according to the meeting agenda. The search committee will interview each finalist and may make a hiring recommendation. The Board of Regents is slated to make a decision during a meeting at 1 p.m. July 23, which will be held via video conference only.

Heavey, who has a doctoral degree in clinical psychology, is interim executive vice president and provost at UNLV and has worked at the university since the early ’90s.

Furton, who has a doctoral degree in chemistry, is provost, executive vice president and chief operating officer at Florida International University in the Miami area. He’s also a professor of chemistry and biochemistry at the university.

Leeper, who has a doctoral degree in communication studies, is executive vice president for operations at Augusta University/augusta University Health System in Georgia.

Whitfield, who has a doctoral degree in lifespan development, is provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. He also is a psychology professor at the university and a research scientist at Duke University.

Each finalist will participate in a campus tour, meetings and an open forum July 20 or 21. The open forum schedule: Heavey at 4-4:50 p.m. July 20 at Student Union Ballroom A; Furton at 5-5:50 p.m. July 20 at Student Union Cohen Theatre; Whitfield at 4-4:50 p.m. July 21 at Student Union Ballroom A; and Leeper at 5-5:50 p.m. at Student Union Cohen Theatre.

UNLV is encouraging the public to participate in virtually in the open forums, which will be livestreamed online. In-person attendance is limited to 50.