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Sheldon Kurtz, president of the Faculty Senate at the University of Iowa, also said not allowing students, staff and faculty members to interview finalists is a mistake.

"The core of a university is open discussion," said Kurtz, professor of law. "This is what we're about; open inquiry and the exchange of ideas."

Kurtz said it has always been a tradition at Iowa to hold public interviews of presidential finalists ? up until last year.

Last November, Iowa's Board of Regents rejected all four finalists its presidential search committee proposed. Throughout the search, faculty members criticized the board for not requiring finalists to participate in public interviews.

After board members rejected the four finalists, they drafted a new search committee to begin the process over, scrapping the original 10-month, $216,000 search.

But Bill Funk, president of R. William Funk and Associates, the recruiting firm hired to find Purdue's next leader, said confidentiality is essential in attracting the best candidates.

"The best candidates have to be approached, nurtured and cajoled into considering these positions," said Funk, who recruited Purdue president Martin Jischke in 2000. "The kinds of people that we're trying to attract are ... in important positions where they are now. You don't want to jeopardize someone's career because they're taking a look at something that could be bigger or better."

Kurtz said this argument, however, is not compelling.

"The loyalty argument doesn't hold much sway with me," he said. "If (candidates) can't take the heat, get out of the public kitchen."

Kurtz also said search firms have a conflict of interest.

"They make money by placing people in these jobs, so their interest is in getting people placed," he said. "A university should be interested in making sure the person is the best fit for the position."