AGB Search, the firm out of Washington D.C. entrusted with finding the next president of the University of Montana delivered a total of 98 candidates for the post just after the July 21 deadline set by the search committee.

AGB's James McCormick said the 98 names, along with their resumes have been delivered to the committee for its consideration.

"Out of the 98, 79 were male and 17 were female," McCormick began. "81 were from inside higher education and 17 from outside higher education. Nine are from Montana and 89 from elsewhere. There are 18 states represented plus the District of Columbia, as well as six other countries. The committee is now reviewing them very carefully."

McCormick said the chair of the committee has scheduled its next meeting for August 8, at which time they will winnow the number down to the number they wish to interview.

McCormick said his firm will continue to assist the committee through the entire process, right up to when the finalists make their campus visits.

"The next step will be to do the semifinalist interviews," he said. "We will do reference checks during that period. The search will remain closed until they make a decision about those who will visit the campus. It will all become public at that point and we will continue to do reference checking and vetting right through that process. Then the finalists will be turned over to the Board of Regents for their decision."

McCormick said the job will not be finished until a year after the new president is selected.

"We stay involved to the degree that we can be helpful to the new person for one year," he said. We measure success, not by just one appointment, but by how well our individuals do and have great success in the early years of their contract."

McCormick expects the new president to be in place in October in time for the start of the second semester.

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