Dive Brief:
- Florida state Sen. John Thrasher, who is a finalist in the search for Florida State University's next president, met with faculty and students in two “testy” forums on Monday, the Tallahassee Democrat reported.
- Thrasher answered questions and said he would focus his first 100 days on the job on a $1 billion capital campaign, professor pay, graduate assistant issues, and a listening tour.
- Similar student and faculty forums are scheduled this week for the other three candidates: Michele Wheatly, a former West Virginia University provost; Michael Martin, Colorado State University’s chancellor; and Richard Marchase, the University of Alabama-Birmingham’s vice president.
Dive Insight:
At one point during the faculty forum on Monday, Thrasher threatened to leave because of heckling from a group of graduate students. Some faculty have opposed Thrasher’s candidacy because he does not have an academic background, and the president’s job description lists that as a requirement. The university’s Faculty Senate passed a resolution last week calling for the school to pick an academic as president, and a faculty union petition seeking the same choice has about 1,000 signatures. The university’s Board of Trustees is scheduled to pick the school’s president on Sept. 23, following a search committee meeting next week to weed out any candidates that it deems should not be considered.