After losing to Gregory Geoffroy in the ISU presidential search, James Melsa, dean of the College of Engineering, is looking for a new challenge.After being chosen as one of the five finalists for the ISU presidency, Melsa is now another finalist — this time as the dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Illinois, Urbana.Melsa has been ISU’s dean of engineering for more than five years. He worked in the Chicago suburbs for a telecommunications company called Tellabs, Inc. before coming to Iowa State.Officials at the University of Illinois refused to comment on Melsa’s status at this point, but Melsa said he thinks he would enjoy the job.”Going to Illinois would be a great opportunity and a very high honor,” he said. “Illinois is one of the top five, perhaps the second or third, engineering college in the country. There are also resources to build and grow in Illinois.”Melsa said the budget cuts in Iowa are discouraging.”There is a shortage of resources here, and it would be more fun to go and be able to build rather than just keep trying to go here,” he said.While Illinois would be beneficial to his career, ISU faculty members said they would hate to lose Melsa.”It would be terrible to see him go, but it would be a great opportunity for him. He’s been a great dean. He’s fair, approachable and democratic,” said Peter Reilly, distinguished professor of chemical engineering. “He’s gotten us one building, Howe Hall, and is about to get us another, Hoover Hall.”David Holger, associate dean of the College of Engineering, said he’s been trying to get Melsa to stay at Iowa State because it’s in the best interest of the college and university.”He is one of the leaders in engineering education and in engineering innovation in the country,” he said. “With him, we’ve accomplished a lot, and we’re on the verge of accomplishing much more. He blends academic and industrial aspects very well, which is a very rare quality for a leader of his rank.”Melsa also has a very unique and strong background as an engineer, evident in how he conducts learning experiences for engineering students. He has also done important work in increasing the number of international and hands-on experiences for students, Holger said.”He knows that it’s important for students to have these experiences because it will make them better engineers,” he said.Theodore Okiishi, associate dean for the College of Engineering, said Melsa cares about the well-being of students as well as faculty and staff in the college.”He pays a lot of attention to the concerns of the students and then addresses those concerns,” Okiishi said. “For example, if he is doing something and a student is concerned about something or needs help, he drops whatever he’s doing until the concern of the student is taken care of.”Melsa has also helped the college receive more donations because donors and alumni are happy with his leadership, Holger said. He said the increased donations are important because it allows for more scholarships, building projects and expansion.Despite this backing from the engineering department, Melsa said he can’t pass by the position in Illinois.”It’s an opportunity I don’t feel I can ignore,” Melsa said. “They have an outstanding reputation and upstanding resources to build exciting things.”