The vacant provost position should be filled around Thanksgiving break, according to chairperson of the search committee, Dr. Hamner Hill.

The search continued with the four candidates each visiting Southeast Missouri State University for two days from Nov. 4-13.

The search began in the spring, when the committee designed a position description and got a pool of about 60 applicants with the help of a search firm, according to Hill. The committee narrowed down the list and interviewed eight candidates at the St. Louis airport. They then chose the four finalists, Hill said.

The finalists include Dr. Jeffrey Morin, Dr. William Eddleman, Dr. Larry Daniel and Dr. Gersham Nelson. Eddleman is the only candidate currently working at Southeast as the vice provost and dean of the School of Graduate Studies.

During their visit, the top candidates met with students, faculty, deans, the executive staff and a real estate agent to tour the area and housing options.

"Each candidate has pretty much a set schedule," Hill said. "They meet with various constituents on campus, and it's a mutual feeling out process. We're just trying to get a better understanding of who they are, and they're trying to get a sense of 'If I was offered this position, do I really want this job? Is this the right school for me at this time?'"

After the visits, a survey will be available for feedback from the community. In addition, the committee will meet, determine if any of the finalists are unsuitable for the position and submit the remaining names to the university president Dr. Kenneth W. Dobbins for him to choose whom to hire, Hill said. Ultimately, the final decision will be made by the Board of Regents.

"We found four individuals who all seem to understand who we are and what we can be and would want to move in those directions," Hill said.

Hill added that the candidates have varied backgrounds.

"We got somebody from the natural sciences, somebody from the humanities, somebody from education and somebody from the fine arts," Hill said. "That's a nice wide array of interests by the provost candidates."

Hill said that although the candidates have different backgrounds, they all had what the committee members were looking for, including high level administrative experience, familiarity with accrediting agencies and a vision of a university compatible with Southeast.

Daniel has been an educator in some form for 34 years and has spent the last 10 years as the dean of the College of Education and Human Services at the University of North Florida.

Daniel has worked at regional universities throughout his career, noting they all have had compass directions in their name. He attributed his gravitation to these universities to their focus on what is going on locally and their ability to engage with the community.

"I honestly see that Southeast Missouri and Cape Girardeau offer a lot for someone who is very interested in the connection between university and community," Daniel said.

Morin has been the dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point for the past nine years, where he also teaches graphic design.

"I really liked the mission of Southeast and the size of the institution as well. The university has done amazing things over the years and has really been able to support programming in a very positive and proactive way," Morin said.

Morin added that he also enjoys institutions that get a lot of first-generation college students because he was the first in his family to go to college.

Nelson currently is the dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Central Missouri.

He was drawn to the effort Southeast makes to keep education affordable for students and its commitment to community development.

"I was struck by the River Campus, which represents an effort on the part of the university to attribute substantially to the community," Nelson said.

"I think everybody on the committee is very happy with the four people we're bringing to campus," Hill said.