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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.]

  ‘‘I think I’ve just got to take a step back and take a look at my life,’’ he said.

  Hogan was one of four presidential candidates recommended to the state Board of Regents by an 18-member search committee. The regents rejected all four candidates.

  Would he be willing to put his name in the search the second time around? ‘‘I’m not even thinking that far ahead right now,’’ Hogan said.

  Hogan said he was one of the seven candidates interviewed, but he did not say he was one of the four recommended to the board. However, several people involved with the search confirmed the four included one internal candidate.

  Hogan said he didn’t notice a rift between the on-campus c o m m i t t e e members and regents during his interview, which he called professional, positive and friendly. But he said Friday he was disconcerted by the decision to reject the candidates and start again.

  The Nov. 17 regents vote surprised him, Hogan said. At his interview the weekend before, the regents had asked if he would be willing to participate in public, on-campus interviews and he said yes; he had no other indication about what the next step might be.

  ‘‘It’s a great university, and it’s hard for the university to make progress and necessary directions without a permanent president in place,’’ Hogan said. ‘‘I think everyone would agree it’s just disconcerting to see the university find itself in a position like this."

IOWA CITY, IA - University of Iowa Provost Mike Hogan said today he's unsure what his next step will be since the state Board of Regents decided last week to reject the recommended candidates and relaunch the UI presidential search.

"I think I've just got to take a step back and take a look at my life," he said. When asked if he would be willing to put his name in the search the second time around, Hogan said "I'm not even thinking that far ahead right now."

Hogan told The Gazette today he was one of seven candidates interviewed two weeks ago for the UI presidency, but he did not say he was one of the four candidates recommended as finalists to the board. However, several people involved with the search said an internal candidate was among the four finalists.

The 6-2 vote by the regents last week has left the campus community upset and the relationship between the regents and the UI community damaged.

Hogan said he didn't notice a rift between the on-campus search committee members and the regents on the committee during his interview, which he called professional, positive and friendly. But he said today he was disconcerted by the decision to reject the four candidates and scrap the search, dissolve the committee and relaunch the process.

"It's a great university and it's hard for the university to make progress and move in the necessary directions without a permanent president in place," he said. "I think everyone would agree it's just disconcerting to see the university find itself in a position like this."