The search for a new dean for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences has been narrowed to four candidates.

A 22-member search committee met Tuesday and decided to favor four of the 57 candidates.

Michael Whiteford, interim dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, was nominated to apply for the position in late November. He said College of Design Dean Mark Engelbrecht notified him Wednesday that he was among the finalists.

Engelbrecht heads the search committee, which began reviewing applications in December 2003.

Before other names are released, Engelbrecht said the committee needed to inform other candidates of its interest.

Whiteford became the interim dean on Sept. 1 after Peter Rabideau, former dean, accepted the position at Mississippi State University. Whiteford had been the college’s associate dean.

“I think we’ve made tremendous progress,” Engelbrecht said. “So much can happen in a search. These are all excellent [candidates] in excellent positions.”

Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Benjamin Allen will review the candidates’ profiles early this week and pass conclusions to ISU President Gregory Geoffroy and the Board of Regents for further examination.

Allen said the committee wants someone who will be sensitive to the diversity of disciplines within the college, considerate of students and their education and supportive of faculty and staff.

The committee anticipates finalists to visit campus in late February or early March, he said.

“When these candidates do come to campus, I encourage students, faculty and staff to come to the forum and interact with the candidates,” Allen said. “It’s important that we get feedback from the campus at large.”

Allen said he will ask those who interacted with candidates to account strengths and areas of concern they noticed.

Whiteford said he would not mind staying on as dean. “We have some very, very good departmental leadership and that makes my job more pleasant and easy because they have good vision, good ideas,” Whiteford said. “I like the idea that I am involved with others in charting a course for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences that will presumably take us into the next five or 10 years.”

The new dean is expected to be selected by July 1.