After breaking from its executive session, the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning Board of Trustees announced the second round of interviews for the MSU presidential search will be held Nov. 5 at 1 p.m.
The Board of Trustees also unanimously named former University of Southern Mississippi President Aubrey Lucas as interim IHL commissioner. Lucas’ tenure as interim began today.
IHL Board of Trustees President Amy Whitten said the Board will possibly begin discussion to find a permanent IHL commissioner in November.
“It will take him a little time for [Lucas] to hit the ground here,” she said. “[He will] assume his duties over the next weeks and probably be with us through the legislative session.”
Whitten said the Board believes in the integrity of the MSU presidential search process despite the speculation, rumor and intrigue associated with it.
“We think [the search process] works,” she said. “The search is still on course and it’s working around the candidates [schedules]. We think it will produce sound results.”
Whitten said the Board has taken the MSU Faculty Senate’s resolutions for announcing the presidential candidates’ identities and their call to reopen the search into consideration.
Every organization should learn from what happens in its organization,” she said. “[The Faculty Senate resolutions are] not the first time people have suggested they want the search process changed. We’ll take their input in to looking at the process in the future.”
Whitten said she has no desire to seek the commissioner’s position within the IHL.
“The constitution prohibits any board member from seeking the position,” she said. “I’ve spent nine years trying to learn how to be a Board member, and I hope to spend the next three years fulfilling my position.”
The Reflector will continue to publish updates on the MSU presidential search and the IHL’s commissioner search as they become available