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[Note: This material is copyright by The Gazette, and is reproduced here as a matter of "fair use" for non-commercial, educational purposes only. Any other use may require the prior approval of The Gazette.]

  Fethke attended Friday’s meeting of the UI presidential search committee, the group’s third meeting. He spoke to the committee about the demands of the job in hopes it would help in choosing qualified candidates to succeed David Skorton, who left the UI in June for the Cornell University presidency.

  ‘‘What is the job of a president? Since I’m not aspiring to the job . . . I can say it more candidly than other people,’’ Fethke said. ‘‘My job as the president is to try to bring other people to their full potential.’’

  Fethke said in the eight months since he became interim president, the biggest surprise for him was how much of a learning curve he faced, even though he’s been at the UI for decades and served as dean of the Tippie College of Business for 14 years. The complexity of the health sciences programs was the biggest challenge, he said.

  The president must be constantly thinking about a proactive way to market the university’s success stories and strengths, he said.

  ‘‘All the time I’m thinking about what distinguishes us and how we can tell people what distinguishes us,’’ he said.

  Search committee Chairman David Johnsen, dean of the UI College of Dentistry, said the committee welcomed Fethke’s input on the presidency.

  ‘‘We thought it would be appropriate to hear from the president early on in the search,’’ said Johnsen. He added that he saw Fethke’s role as providing a perspective on the duties of the presidency, not to lobby. ‘‘We looked at (his appearance) as informational.’’

  Johnsen said he has sent letters to about 20 candidates so far asking for more information, so it’s likely the committee will have names to discuss in closed session soon. Most of the names are coming from colleagues on the UI campus or from people with long-standing UI ties, he said.

  The 13-member committee also heard Friday about the importance of diversity in the search. The committee aims to have a new president selected by July 1.