University of Illinois officials say they plan to announce the next president for the state's flagship institution by December. But the process is only just getting started.
President Bob Easter will retire next year.
The search committee in charge of recommending a replacement to the U of I's board of trustees must sift through around 120 candidates. Some candidates are nominees, and others are those who are qualified to fill the position but already hold a significant post elsewhere.
That's where Atlanta based Parker Executive Search comes in. Douglas Beck, co-chair of the U of I presidential search panel, says the university has worked with the company in the past.
"They know huge numbers of people all over the country that they've interacted with over the years. They have developed routines for gathering background information on the various candidates, which is very important for the process," Beck said.
Parker Executive Search has assisted both Northern Illinois and Southern Illinois Universities in the past. The firm is being paid $175,000 from the U of I.
The search committee is holding town-hall style meetings on the three campuses to gather input on the process.
