ORLANDO, Fla. - The University of Central Florida Presidential Search Committee on Thursday announced the selection of three finalists after interviewing seven candidates on campus.
"The candidates who were interviewed during a day-long session represented a great depth of academic scholarship, research and achievement, and also are world-renowned in their disciplines and strong academic leaders," the university said.
Among those interviewed were candidates with membership in the prestigious National Academy of Medicine and National Academy of Engineering, and affiliation with institutions in the Association of American Universities, which represents the country’s leading research universities.
The three finalists include David Brenner, vice chancellor for health sciences at the University of California, San Diego; Vistasp Karbhari, president of the University of Texas at Arlington; and Cato Laurencin, a professor and a surgeon, who has served as the Dean of the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and the Vice President for Health Affairs at the University of Connecticut from 2008–2011.
In March of last year, the UCF Board of Trustees named Dr.Thad Seymour Jr. as their long-term interim president, until a permanent leader is hired. Seymour has been serving as UCF's short-term president since the resignation of President Dale Whittaker in February of last year.
Whittaker resigned to appease state lawmakers and education officials who were upset about the school using tens of millions of dollars in operating funds to pay for new building construction, in violation of state rules.