St. Pete chancellor search narrowed to three finalists
The hunt for the next St. Pete campus regional chancellor has been narrowed down to three finalists, with the announcement of who will fill the position expected to come soon.
Although the final four candidates were announced April 28, the search website now lists only three of those candidates.
Initially, the four finalists included Dean and Professor of Management at Purdue University Fort Wayne Melissa Gruys, Dean and Professor at Metropolitan State University of Denver Christian Hardigree, Vice President for Strategy and Chief Operating Officer at Eckerd College Kanika Tomalin and former Chancellor of the University of Washington Bothell Bjong Yeigh. The updated list excludes Yeigh.
An email sent out Tuesday to St. Pete students confirmed Yeigh withdrew his candidacy, although a reason for his decision was not given at the time of publication.
The search for the successor of former Chancellor Martin Tadlock features a 17-member committee and has been moving along at a brisk pace. The candidate pool was reduced from 17 to nine April 25, just three days before the final four were announced.
President Rhea Law is currently reviewing feedback and hopes to announce the chosen candidate within the next week, according to St. Pete Director of Communications and Marketing Carrie O’Brion.
Recently brought to light was that two of the finalists, Gruys and Hardigree, are simultaneously competing for the same position at another university as well.
Both are finalists in the provost and vice president of academic affairs search for Lamar University, according to an article published Friday from Beaumont Enterprise.
Gruys was a college of business dean finalist at the University of Wyoming, although it was announced Friday she did not obtain the position.
This is a developing story. Stay with The Oracle for updates.
More Stories
USF admin’s response to suicides unclear. What we know so far.
USF’s administration will not say who or how it will prevent future suicides on campus a month after a student leapt from an upper floor balcony of the Interdisciplinary Science Building – the third suicide since fall 2022. The Oracle has asked repeatedly about which USF administrators are overseeing suicide prevention initiatives and how the […]
USF SG leaders look back on campaign accomplishments while on non-speaking terms
Student body president Cesar Esmeraldi and vice president Elizabeth Volmy reached nearly every campaign goal during their term. The one thing that didn’t persevere was their unity. The pair ended their tenure reflecting on it from separate rooms. “We’ve had a great year,” Esmeraldi said. “I’m very happy with everything we’ve built. But because of […]
USF’s ‘Take Back the Night’ allows sexual survivors to share pain, resilience: ‘Recovery isn’t easy.’
A sexual assault survivor, who was the first speaker at Wednesday evening’s “Take Back the Night,” said the hardest day of their life was not when they were assaulted – it was the day after. “When I had to call my mom and tell her how her [child lost their] virginity and tell my therapist […]
USF campus ministers offer perspective on stadium development: ‘Exciting benefit of exposure.’
Take a tranquil stroll down Sycamore Drive. It’s a quieter part of campus, hidden away from the usual hustle and bustle of USF. It’s home to an area colloquially known as “Religious Row,” a collection of on-campus religious organizations. In just a few years – with the construction of an on-campus football stadium – the […]
McKinley Drive closed down for death investigation, Tampa police say
The intersection between Fowler Avenue and McKinley Drive was closed due to a death investigation late Wednesday afternoon, according to the Tampa Police Department (TPD). A man shot himself after making a bomb threat in the parking lot of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), located at 11201 McKinley Drive, according to TPD. Police said […]
USF 2024-25 A&S budget to increase student organization funding in Tampa and St. Pete
The Student Government (SG) Senate approved the 2024-25 Student Activities & Services (A&S) budget for all three campuses this Tuesday, seeing an overall increase in allocated money to student organizations. The vote was 26-0, approving the budget. Related: 2023-24 A&S budget down $5 million from last fiscal year Students pay fees in their tuition – […]