Iowa State Provost John Kozak is no longer being considered for the chancellor position at the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville.

Kozak, who has served as ISU’s provost since July 1992, was one of five preliminary finalists chosen from more than 40 original applicants for the position. The list has been narrowed to two.

The decision “has nothing to do with his status as provost at Iowa State University,” said John Anderson, interim director of university relations.

After completing campus visits, the five finalists were interviewed this week by a 20-member committee composed of faculty, staff and students from the University of Arkansas.

“Dr. Kozak has a great deal of experience and is a very talented person,” said Alan Sugg, president of the University of Arkansas system.

Sugg said choosing only two finalists was “a very difficult decision.” He said he would not comment on why the committee did not choose Kozak because it was a “consensus” decision.

The chancellor’s post at the Fayetteville campus, similar to ISU’s president, has been open since May 1996, when Chancellor Dan Ferritor announced he would resign when a replacement is found, Sugg said.

While at ISU, Kozak has been involved with strategic planning issues. He was the chairman of the committee that formulated the university’s strategic plan for 1996-2000, which was unanimously approved by the state Board of Regents.

From 1988 to 1992, Kozak was the dean of the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Georgia. Prior to that, he was on the faculty of the University of Notre Dame for 20 years, serving in a number of positions, including professor of chemistry, senior scientist with the Notre Dame Radiation Laboratory, co-director of the Honors Program and associate dean of the College of Science.