Wright State has 3 presidential fi nalists

DAYTON — Doug Fecher, Wright State University trustee and chairman of the presidential search committee, said the university has selected three finalists for its president’s job, but the search committee will not release the candidates’ names until they visit campus in February.

The names will be announced at noon the day before each finalist visits campus. The three-day visits will take place from Feb. 2-4, Feb. 5-7 and Feb. 7-9, according to an email sent to students, faculty and staff Thursday.

“We’re trying to balance their need for privacy with our need to tell people who they are,” Fecher said.

Wright State received applications from 61 people with “really strong diversity,” a factor Fecher said is reflected in the trio of finalists. The number of applicants quelled concerns that Wright State’s budget issues and an ongoing federal investigation would hamper the number of quality candidates for the president’s job.

The presidential announcement contrasts with another announcement of candidates for the chief diversity officer position, also made via email Thursday. The candidates for that job, Wright State’s Edward Twyman and Matt Boaz, were revealed days before they will address the campus in open forums on Tuesday and Wednesday.

When candidates apply at a public institution in Ohio, their applications become a public record. But, by using a private search firm, universities are able to keep that information out of the public eye.