EUGENE — The committee charged with recommending a replacement for University of Oregon President Dave Frohnmayer is only about halfway through the process but faces concerns that just one finalist will be named for public interviews and events.

Others, especially faculty members, want a shortlist of possibly three. The issue pits the interest in an open process against the desire for confidentiality often sought by top candidates.

Many executives fear their jobs would be in danger if it were known they were looking elsewhere and are not chosen.

The committee’s task is to recommend at least one preferred candidate to the State Board of Higher Education, which oversees the Oregon University System.

No decision yet

George Pernsteiner, chancellor of the OUS, said no decision has been made on how many candidates will be picked.

“What we’ve said is if the final candidates, however many they may be, if they are all willing to go public, we will,” Pernsteiner said.

“But if even one of them wishes to maintain confidentiality, then we will continue the process on a confidential basis until we’re to the point where we have one candidate that the board is considering.”

Frohnmayer is a former Oregon attorney general and candidate for governor and the U.S. senate. He has been at the university for 15 years.

The committee hopes to make its recommendation in time for the April 3 board meeting.

Committee members agreed not to reveal any details of the search.

But UO professor Paul van Donkelaar, the president of the University Senate and a member of the search committee, said there’s a strong desire for several finalists so the broader community can take part in interviews and offer opinions.

“The UO community members — the faculty and staff and students — would really, really, really like it if the chancellor was able to convince a number of the finalists to be willing to reveal their names,” he said.

“Then the end of the process would be normal campus visits where everyone has a chance to see the top three finalists and have their input.”

The possibility that the committee would name only one candidate has raised considerable concern, van Donkelaar said.

Faculty have told Pernsteiner they strongly encourage public naming of a final group.

Student opinion

Sam Dotters-Katz, the UO student body president and a committee member, said students will support whatever process ensures the best choice.

“I can definitely say from the student perspective that the most important facet of this entire search is that the end goal is to find the best possible successor to President Frohnmayer that we can find,” he said.

“And if that means keeping it closed to the point of only having one candidate, then not only do I think, but the student opinion is, that whatever must be done to find the best candidate should be done.”

The committee includes six faculty members, four UO staff members and two students. Others include members of the state board, Oregon higher education officials, alumni and business people.

The best candidate

Pernsteiner said that while naming multiple candidates is common, it’s not universal and that an increasing number of universities use the closed process.

“You want to have the best candidate you can find, and you want that candidate to stay in the pool and you want to make it possible for the candidate to do so without jeopardizing her or his career,” he said.

Peter Eckel, programs director for the Center for Effective Leaders at the American Council on Education in Washington, D.C., said both types of searches have produced successes and failures.

“Often, a person puts his ability or her ability to lead at some risk if they are known to be a candidate for another position,” he said.