Education

Four finalists named in FGCU presidential search; final interviews scheduled May 4

WGCU | By WGCU Staff

Published April 7, 2023 at 1:50 PM EDT

Classes began Monday for the fall session at Florida Gulf Coast University, celebrating the start of its 26th year as a Southwest Florida institution of higher learning.

Florida Gulf Coast University’s Presidential Search Advisory Committee is recommending four finalists be considered by the Board of Trustees for the university’s top position, including one candidate currently at FGCU.

The finalists are:

Henry Mack III, Ed.D. – Senior Chancellor, Florida Department of Education
Neil J. MacKinnon, Ph.D. – Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, Augusta University
Joseph A. “Jay” Morgan, Ph.D. – President, Morehead State University
Aysegul Timur, Ph.D. – Vice President and Vice Provost for Strategy and Program Innovation, Florida Gulf Coast University

Above, from left, Mack, MacKinnon, Morgan and Timur

“FGCU’s search committee members have risen once more to the challenge of ensuring our finalists reflect the interests of our various stakeholders and the visions they have for the future of FGCU,” said Edward Morton, chair of the Presidential Search Advisory Committee and vice chair of the Board of Trustees. “Throughout this year-long process, our committee has approached the task at hand with unparalleled dedication and sincerity, and I am proud of the passion, candor and thoughtfulness they brought to the table.”

Information submitted by each finalist through the application process can be found on FGCU’s presidential search website, www.fgcu.edu/presidentialsearch. All other candidate information will remain exempt and confidential, according to Section 1004.098, Florida Statutes.

In the coming weeks, finalists will spend a full day on campus and conduct public forums to engage with students, faculty, staff and community stakeholders. FGCU will share the details for public meet-and-greets as they are arranged by executive search firm Greenwood Asher & Associates.

Final interviews will take place May 4 during a public meeting of the FGCU Board of Trustees. A selection will be made at the conclusion of the meeting, with the president-elect going before the Board of Governors on May 10 for confirmation as FGCU’s fifth president.

According to the search timeline, the transfer of duties is expected to take place July 1, following the retirement of President Mike Martin. Martin took office at FGCU in 2017 and is retiring after dedicating more than five decades to higher education.

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