Iowa State’s provost is in the running for the chancellorship at the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville.

Provost John Kozak was chosen Tuesday as one of five finalists for the soon-to-be vacant chancellor job at Arkansas, a land-grant university like ISU. Kozak, who has been ISU’s provost since July of 1992, was chosen from more than 40 applicants.

The announcement comes in the wake of Arkansas Chancellor Dan Ferritor’s pending resignation. Ferritor, who served as chancellor for more than 10 years, announced in April of 1995 that he would resign.

He said he wishes to return to teaching. Ferritor said he would stay in office until a successor is found.

The University of Arkansas system consists of seven campuses. Fayetteville is the largest, with about 15,000 students.

Before coming to ISU, Kozak served as the dean of the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Georgia in Athens.

In 1995, Kozak was one of three finalists for chancellor at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.

Kozak was not available for comment.

The other finalists for the Arkansas position are Blaine A. Brownell, provost and vice president for academic affairs of the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas; Clovis R. Haden, vice chancellor and dean of engineering at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas; John A. White, dean of the college of engineering at Georgia Tech in Atlanta; Frederick J. Dobney, executive vice president and provost at Michigan Technological University in Houghton, Mich.

University of Arkansas President B. Alan Sugg said all candidates will visit the campus and be interviewed by a 20-person search committee.

The new chancellor will likely join the university by the end of June.