The North Dakota State University Presidential Search Committee has selected two more candidates - bringing the total to eight candidates - who will come to Fargo for off-campus interviews Saturday, April 10, and Sunday, April 11. The interviews are scheduled at the Ramada Plaza Suites and Conference Center in Fargo.

The committee, which is working to help select NDSU's next president, met March 30 to review reference checks on five recently received applications. The two candidates selected to move forward in the process are:

• Gary Miller, provost and vice president for academic affairs and research at Wichita State University;

• and Richard Davenport, president of Minnesota State University, Mankato.

They join the following candidates who were selected by the committee when it met on March 24:

• Thomas Keon, dean of business administration at the University of Central Florida;

• Dean Bresciani, former vice president for student affairs at Texas A&M University;

• Priscilla Nelson, professor of civil and environmental engineering and former provost at New Jersey Institute of Technology;

• John Gardner, vice president for economic development and global engagement at Washington State University;

• Benjamin Ogles, dean of arts and sciences at Ohio University;

• and William Ruud, president at Shippensburg University.

"I think it is wonderful list of candidates; they have a great range of experiences. I am excited about the weekend of interviews," said Steve Swiontek, committee chair. "Some of the candidates have been in North Dakota previously or are familiar with the state. Some have land-grant experience, as well. We have great potential in these eight individuals."

According to Swiontek, the committee will meet following the last interview on April 11 to determine which candidates will participate in on-campus visits and interviews, tentatively scheduled for April 26 to May 12.

"It will probably be in the range of four to six candidates who will come to the NDSU campus," Swiontek explained. "They'll came to campus for approximately two days each, meeting with various constituencies on campus - faculty, staff, administration, students, Development Foundation representatives, alumni and business groups. It will be a very busy visit for them."

The committee has been charged with providing the State Board of Higher Education at least three unranked candidates for the board's consideration. Board members are scheduled to interview finalists on May 24.