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[Note: This material is copyright by the Des Moines Register, 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 Des Moines Register.]

These are some of the essential criteria discussed by the 13-member panel that will interview candidates and choose finalists for the next U of I leader. The group, which met Friday, talked about writing interview questions that highlight candidates' academic philosophies and specific experiences at other institutions.

"When you're interviewing people, you want to know, 'What did they do there?,' " Liberal Arts and Sciences Dean Linda Maxson said about candidates' past experiences.

An ongoing discussion topic for the group is whether they will hold public, on-campus interviews for finalists - long a tradition at the U of I.

A compressed campus visit may be a compromise between groups that want public visits and groups that worry naming finalists will shrink the pool of qualified candidates.

"A significant number (of faculty) will entertain a compressed form," said Jay Sa-Aadu, a finance professor.

Instead of having finalists visit Iowa City over a couple of weeks, several finalists might come at the same time, just days before the Iowa Board of Regents chooses one to be the new U of I leader.

Those finalists would not return to their home universities until the search is concluded, possibly lessening the negative effects of being disclosed as a candidate in a presidential search at another university, said David Johnsen, chairman of the search committee.

The search committee has said it would like the regents to name a new leader by July 1.