Bryce Griffis (Starkville) and Dr. Stacy Davidson (Cleveland) are co-chairs of the DSU Presidential Search Committee and they provided information today on the status of the search.

Griffis said, "Beginning on June 23, the final interviews will be held at DSU. Two sitting presidents, one former president and an executive administrator will be interviewed by the constituent groups of the DSU community." Davidson said, "The Board is very pleased with the highly qualified finalists as well as with the selection process we have used in this search. All of the candidates the Board interviewed were highly qualified and impressive." Details for the campus visits will be announced by the Campus Advisory Committee.

The selection of the next president of DSU is scheduled to occur after the completion of the campus interviews. Dr. Bruce Bergland holds a doctorate in counseling from Stanford University, and a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology from Iowa State University. He has served as Chancellor of Indiana University Northwest since July 1999. Previously, Bergland served as Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs, Academic Dean, and Professor of Basic and Applied Social Sciences from July 1997 to July 1999 at Trinity College of Vermont and Executive Vice Chancellor and Professor of Psychology at the University of Hawaii-West Oahu from August 1995 to July 1997. He began his academic career at Northwestern University in July 1969 as Assistant Professor of Education and Psychology. Then, in 1972, he moved to the University of Colorado at Denver and served there for twenty- three years, first as a faculty member, and then in administrative positions until August 1995. His final positions at CU-Denver were Executive Vice Chancellor and Interim Dean of the College of Architecture and Planning.

Dr. Kendall A. Blanchard earned a Ph.D. in cultural anthropology from Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas in 1971. He completed postdoctoral work in anthropological theory at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore in June 1977. He earned a master of arts in general anthropology from SMU, a master of divinity from Vanderbilt University in Nashville and a bachelors of arts in English, history and philosophy from Olivet Nazarene College in Kankakee, Illinois. Dr. Blanchard was named President of Fort Lewis College and Professor of Business and Anthropology in Durango in February 1999, and served as President until July 2002 while continuing his faculty appointment to the present. He was Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at the University of Tennessee at Martin from July 1995 to February 1999; Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Lamar University from July 1991 to July 1995 and Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Emporia State University from July 1987 to June 1991. He began his administrative career at Middle Tennessee State University as Chair of the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work in 1978.

Dr. John M. Hilpert holds a doctorate in higher education administration from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, a master of divinity from Concordia Seminary in Missouri, a bachelor of arts from Concordia Senior College in Indiana and an associate of arts from St. Paul's College in Missouri. He has served as President of Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota, since 1997. From 1990 to 1997, he held appointments at the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, first as the Vice President for University Relations/Executive Director of the Foundation from 1990 to 1996, and then served as Acting President/Executive Vice-President from 1996 to 1997. He was Vice President for College Advancement at Thiel College in Greenville, Pennsylvania, from 1983 to 1990 and Executive Assistant to the President at Finlandia University in Hancock, Michigan, from 1978 to 1983.

Dr. Judith S. Prince earned her doctorate of education from the University of Georgia, Athens. She also received a master of education and a bachelor of science in education at the University of Georgia, Athens. She has served as the Interim Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at the University of South Carolina, Spartanburg, since June 2000. Prince served at Spartanburg since 1992, first as Assistant Dean for Graduate and Special Programs from 1997-1995, advancing to Assistant Vice Chancellor for Graduate Programs and Extended Learning Director of the Quality Institute, and then to Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. The new president will succeed Dr. David Potter, who served as President from July 1999 to March 2003 before his appointment by the Board as Commissioner of Higher Education. DSU is located in Cleveland and enrolled 3,963 students in Fall 2002. The University provides a comprehensive undergraduate curriculum, offering 13 baccalaureate degrees in 38 majors. It also seeks to meet the need for advanced training in certain fields by providing programs of study for nine master's degrees, the Educational Specialist degree, and the Doctor of Education degree. The Mississippi Delta, a twenty-county, northwestern region which is rich in various ethnic and cultural groups, provides approximately 80% of the University's enrollment. The full Board will participate in the interviews of the candidates and is expected to name the next

President of DSU following completion of the interview process. Members of the Board are Thomas W. Colbert (Flowood), President; Roy Klumb (Gulfport), Vice President; Bill Crawford (Meridian); Ricki Garrett (Clinton); Dr. L. Stacy Davidson, Jr.; Bryce Griffis; Dr. D.E. Magee, Jr. (Jackson); Virginia Shanteau Newton (Gulfport); Carl Nicholson, Jr. (Hattiesburg); Dr. Bettye Neely (Grenada); Scott Ross (West Point); and Amy Whitten (Oxford).