Four finalists will visit campus next week to interview for the position of Senior Vice President and Provost. 

The office is currently headed by Jonathan Wickert, who will officially step down from the role June 30. Wickert will remain at Iowa State and return to teaching as a professor of mechanical engineering. 

According to the Office of the President, the candidates will be named next week and participate in a campus forum on the following dates:

• Candidate 1, April 15, Alliant Energy-Lee Liu Auditorium, Howe Hall
• Candidate 2, April 17, Sun Room, Memorial Union
• Candidate 3, April 22, Sun Room, Memorial Union
• Candidate 4, April 29, Alliant Energy-Lee Liu Auditorium, Howe Hall

Candidates will participate in the forum on the first day of their two-day visit. According to Inside Iowa State, official dates for the fourth candidate are not finalized. 

The candidates’ names and curricula vitae will be shared on the Office of the President website the day before they visit. Recordings of the forums will also be posted on the website. 

Members of the search committee include Toyia Younger, senior vice president of student affairs, Sophia Magill, senior adviser to the president, Michael Golemo, university professor of music and theater, Sarah Bennett-George, teaching professor of apparel, events and hospitality management and others. The committee is chaired by David Spalding, dean of the College of Business. 

The search is being conducted by Atlanta-based Parker Executive Search, which is being paid $142,000 for its service. 

According to the contract between Parker and Iowa State, Parker will advertise for the position, interview, check references, make travel arrangements for candidates, conduct background checks on finalists and more.

Senior vice president for operations and finance

A search to fill the role of senior vice president for operations and finance has begun, according to Inside Iowa State. 

The role was vacated by Shawn Norman in December after serving in the role for 11 months. Norman received $124,000 in separation payments in January. Heather Paris has been an interim in the role since Norman’s departure and will continue to serve as an interim until a finalist is named. 

According to Inside Iowa State, the search committee for the position plans to have a finalist in place before the fall 2024. 

The office is responsible for “providing leadership and services to facilitate and enhance financial and strategic operations for thousands of university students, faculty and staff,” according to the Iowa State website.