ISU officials announced the identity of the first of two finalists under consideration for the second highest position at Iowa State.

Jeffrey S. Vitter, Dean of the Purdue University College of Science, will visit campus Tuesday and Wednesday to interview for the position of provost and executive vice president.

The position was vacated last May by Benjamin Allen to become president at the University of Northern Iowa.

Vitter will take part in a general forum from 1:45 to 2:50 p.m. in the Gallery Room of the Memorial Union, followed by a diversity forum from 3:50 to 4:40 in the same room.

He said he draws on his background in computer science to help his decision making.

“I’m a computer scientist and a problem-solver by nature,” he said. “I very much enjoy the opportunity to work with colleagues to form a shared vision through interaction and then help everyone elevate the institution.”

The university search committee charged with filling the provost position refused to immediately release the names of the two finalists after both candidates requested anonymity.

Both candidates voiced concern that the announcement could negatively impact their work at their current institutions.

Vitter said Purdue’s College of Science held a leadership council this week, and a public announcement from the search committee could have made Vitter look less committed to the material discussed at the council and other initiatives in the college.

“This week I was in the middle of some incredibly important efforts here at Purdue, such as today’s ground breaking of the new Lawson Computer Science Building,” he said.

“A public announcement would have distracted attention away from the tremendous contributions of the donors who made the building possible and thus would have been almost insulting to all that they did.”

Tahira Hira, chairwoman of the search committee and assistant to the president for external relations, said the committee was impressed with Vitter’s credentials and his performance during an off-campus interview.

Hira encouraged students and staff to attend the open forums on Tuesday.

“The purpose of the forums is to provide a very specific time for the university to have a dialogue with candidates,” she said. “It’s an opportunity for everyone to see and hear the finalists.”

The identity of the second candidate, who is scheduled to visit campus Sept. 21, will be announced Tuesday, she said.