UI Wants to Keep Presidents Longer

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Members of the University of Idaho community say a key factor that has emerged in the search for a new president is a candidate's willingness to stay on campus for a long time.

A search committee was formed earlier this year to find a replacement for UI President Duane Nellis, who agreed in March to take the top administrative post at Texas Tech University.

The UI has had three interim and two permanent presidents since 2003, but the search committee is hoping to hire a new president who plans to last longer than Nellis or his predecessor Tim White.

Former state Board of Education President Ken Edmunds told The Idaho Statesman that turnover and lack of stability at the top has been detrimental to the university.