Interim president, Kenneth Jessell, becomes the sole candidate for FIU’s presidency
Florida International University has finally ended its search by announcing its sole candidate for the presidency—Kenneth Jessell. Kenneth Jessell has been FIU’s interim president since President Mark Rosenberg resigned.
Previously, Kenneth Jessell claimed that he wasn't interested in taking Rosenberg's position, but things have taken a swift turn. FIU’s presidential search committee’s chairperson and Board of Trustees, Roger Tovar, shared an email with the university's community following up on the subject.
The committee screened approximately 70 candidates, interviewed them, and picked a few. However, only one candidate made it to the final round: Kenneth Jessell.
Here’s more on this matter.
Kenneth Jessell has had a change of mind
Kenneth Jessell took the seat after Rosenberg’s resignation in late January. Initially, Rosenberg stated his resignation was due to his wife's health issues. However, he later accepted the actual reason behind this move was due to misconduct allegations.
Jessell has been a part of FIU’s esteemed institute for 13 years as their finance administration’s vice president and chief financial officer.
However, he has always been clear about his presidential plans. He justified his opinion by reasoning that he didn't want to have any long-term commitments. Although Kenneth Jessell’s views were clear, he has had a change of heart.
Tovar explained that despite Jessell’s disinterest in becoming FIU’s president, many deemed Jessell an ideal candidate. As a result, some community members nominated his name. Luckily, Kenneth Jessell accepted to become a nominee.
What happens next?
After this email on Wednesday, the process has become a public matter. This process will last another three weeks, and the open forums within the university community will play a huge part.
All stakeholders can interact with Kenneth Jessell through these forums. After this, FIU’s Board of Trustees will hold a meeting to consider the recommendations and feedback.
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