California State University, Stanislaus (CSUS) President Hamid Shirvani has been announced as one of four top candidates vying for the chancellor position of North Dakota’s university system.
The North Dakota Chancellor Search Committee has narrowed the applicant field looking to replace retiring Chancellor William Goetz to four candidates that include: Tim Flakoll of Minnesota (Tri-College University, Fargo-Moorhead), Marshall Hill of Nebraska (executive director, Nebraska Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education, Lincoln, Neb), Hamid Augustine Shirvani of Turlock (president, California State University-Stanislaus, Turlock, Ca), and Warren Kent Wray of Missouri (interim chancellor, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, Mo).
Five candidates were interviewed via video from Bismarck, North Dakota on Thursday.
The committee announced later that four candidates, including CSUS President Hamid Shirvani, have been invited back to Bismarck on February 28th and 29th to meet with various constituents and to have their final interview with the search committee on the 29th.
After asking CSUS President Shirvani for any statements regarding his application and the North Dakota Chancellor search, David Tonelli, CSUS Associate Vice President of Communications & Public Affairs, responded stating, “President Shirvani believes it is too early in the selection process to make any statements.”
Dr. Shirvani also did not comment on his past candidacy to become the University of Idaho President back in 2009.
Tonelli confirmed for Dr. Shirvani that yes, Shirvani was a finalist in February of 2009 for the University of Idaho President search and that he withdrew his name from the process after being named a finalist due to CSUS Foundation Board Members and community members asking him to stay at CSUS.
The State Board of Higher Education plans to meet on March 13th to interview the finalists and to select the next chancellor of the University System. The SBHE chair and search consultant will then negotiate contract terms.
North Dakota’s university system hopes to have a new chancellor appointed by July 1, 2012.
The chancellor serves as the chief executive officer of the State Board of Higher Education, is the chief executive officer of the NDUS and carries out the policies and directives of the SBHE. The NDUS office is located at the state Capitol in Bismarck.
The University System includes 11 institutions of higher education and has an operating budget of nearly $1.2 billion. Direct reports to the chancellor include the campus presidents, the vice chancellor for academic and student affairs, the vice chancellor for administrative affairs, the vice chancellor for strategic planning and executive director of CTEC, the general counsel/SBHE executive secretary, chief information officer, director of internal audit and risk assessment, the public affairs and marketing director and the executive assistant/office manager.
