At least 30 vying to be LSU president

LSU has more than 30 candidates interested in being the university’s next president, one of whom could take the new position as early as June, The Times-Picayune reports. The search for a new LSU president is progressing extremely well, says Bill Funk, a search consultant for the university. In addition to individuals with previous administration experience there are a sprinkle of nontraditional candidates, he says, adding that the applicant pool thus far is diverse with respect to race and gender. LSU has been looking for a new president since firing John Lombardi in April 2012. Mike Martin, the former chancellor of LSU, stepped down in May to take a new position with Colorado State University. William Jenkins has been serving as the interim president and chancellor. The LSU Board of Supervisors decided at the end of 2012 to combine the system president and chancellor positions with a view to promoting a “One LSU” autonomy with all the campuses around the state, saving money, and further advancing the reorganization process. The consultant group expects more candidates to join the pool in the next few weeks. June has been mentioned as the target month for hiring the new president. The next phase in the process, LSU board member Blake Chatelain says, is narrowing down the list of candidates, the majority of whom are sitting presidents and chancellors.