ISU officials Tuesday named a former university president and ISU college dean as the last finalist for the executive vice president and provost position vacated last April.

Former University of Colorado president and ISU College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Dean Elizabeth Hoffman will interview on campus Sept. 21 and 22 for the post left by current University of Northern Iowa president Ben Allen.

Contacted a week ago by the provost search committee, Hoffman said she is thrilled to return to Iowa State for an interview, and relishes the opportunity to work as a provost – a job she held at the University of Illinois-Chicago from 1997 to 2000.

“Several things appealed to me about this job,” Hoffman said. “One is that I’m a consummate academic. I’ve been a provost and I love that job. It’s the perfect job for someone who is from beginning to end an academic.”

Hoffman – now a professor of economics and public affairs at Colorado – stepped down as president of the state’s university system in August 2005. She found herself under pressure as the Boulder, Colo., university was rocked by reports of rapes and a football-recruiting sex scandal.

Tahira Hira, search committee chairwoman and assistant to the president for external relations, said the search committee didn’t bring up the scandals at Colorado in conversations with Hoffman, instead speaking of the former president’s commitment to academics.

“[The football scandals] were very public,” Hira said. “Our committee didn’t bring those into discussions. We focused on her qualifications [and] her leadership skills.”

Hoffman’s academic qualifications – from time spent as an award-winning professor to her work as dean, provost and president – made her an “absolutely stellar” candidate, Hira said.

“We were very impressed at what caliber of a person [she is] with that broad experience,” Hira said.

Hira said Hoffman’s work as an academic fits the provost position well. Hira added that it’s a “more internal position” than that of president, and Hoffman said she hopes to have the opportunity to take a leading role in molding the academic future of Iowa State.

“It’s a great land-grant university with an incredible tradition and a great opportunity to enhance its academic stature,” she said.

“That’s the kind of thing I really enjoy and really do well.”

Hira said the search committee will meet and discuss the two finalists – Hoffman and Jeffrey S. Vitter – Monday afternoon. The committee anticipates sending a report on to ISU President Gregory Geoffroy by Tuesday.

The speed with which the committee hopes to make its decision is fine with Hoffman, she said.

“The more I think about it,” Hoffman said, “the more I am excited about it.”