The Board of Regents announced the third finalist for Iowa State president, Dale Whittaker, the provost and executive vice president at the University of Central Florida, Orlando (UCF). 

UCF has a total enrollment of 64,318 and 33 colleges. Whittaker works with an operating budget of $1.67 billion. 

Whittaker received his bachelor’s in agricultural engineering from Texas A&M University, and received his master’s and doctorate in the same field from Purdue University, according to his vitae.

In his current position, Whittaker oversees academic support services and student services and is responsible for curriculum, academic planning, faculty appointments, promotion and tenure decisions. 

While at UFC, Whittaker increased new faculty hires by 29.5 percent and launched a Faculty Cluster initiative — which brought 33 new faculty members to six fields. 

He launched the Inclusive Educational Services Initiative in 2016 which allows people with intellectual disabilities to experience college. There are currently 17 students at UFC in the program.

Whittaker also served as vice provost for undergraduate academic affairs from 2010 to 2014 when he moved on to his current job at UCF. He started as an assistant professor at Texas A&M University in 1987. 

Whittaker will visit Ames Wednesday for an on-campus interview and an open forum from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Sun Room of the Memorial Union. Anyone can attend the open forum or view the live stream at https://www.presidentsearch.iastate.edu/finalists/Whittaker.

Open forums will be held Monday through Thursday. Each candidate’s name will be released 24 hours before their campus visit. The Board of Regents will make a final decision on who Iowa State’s next president will be on October 23.

Editor’s note: This article has been changed due to an error. Dale Whittaker works with a budget of $1.67 billion. The Daily regrets the error.