Mississippi State University Provost and Executive Vice President Jerry Gilbert is a candidate for the University of South Alabama president position, according to a University of South Alabama news release issued Friday.
The news release said over 130 applicants were considered before USA’s Board of Trustees narrowed the list to three finalists.
Gilbert, who has worked for Mississippi State University for about 25 years, said he enjoys working for MSU and did not actively seek other job opportunities but decided to see where the nomination for USA president would lead.
“It’s really too early to tell what’s going to happen,” Gilbert said. “I’m certainly committed to MSU until something were to develop. I didn’t really start out looking for a new position, but I was nominated and decided to pursue it.”
Gilbert said he has gained valuable experience at MSU during his 25 years as part of MSU’s faculty.
“I’ve had a great experience here at MSU and had a lot of opportunities to learn a tremendous amount in academic affairs,” he said. “USA is a great university, as is MSU. My alma mater is MSU, and I’m totally committed to advance the success of MSU while in the position of provost.”
MSU President Mark Keenum said Gilbert is an outstanding provost, so he is not surprised other higher learning institutions are interested in him.
“He has done an exceptional job as provost and executive vice president here at Mississippi State,” Keenum said. “He has the talents and qualifications to become a university president, and I can understand his interest in wanting to hear what the folks at the University of South Alabama have to offer.”  
If Gilbert is selected and accepts USA’s president position, MSU Faculty Senate President Jerry Emison said MSU would begin the lengthy process to find Gilbert’s replacement. 
“I am confident we would do what we always do — form a search committee and look as broad as possible,” Emison said. “The university will continue to move forward, but of course, we would prefer to move forward with him here, but he has to do what is best for him.”
Emison said MSU would be affected if Gilbert left, but he said he is confident the university would adapt.
“He is a senior administrator at the university, and any time you make changes at the top, it will have an impact,” Emison said. “We still have a solid management team, solid faculty. People have opportunities come along, and they make changes.”
The news release stated the USA Board of Trustees plans to make a decision by late October.