Then there was one

The search for a new University at Albany president hit a roadblock last week when two top finalists dropped out.

This leaves only one known candidate - Barbara Couture, the senior vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, a source briefed on the search process told the Times Union last Sunday.

Although the trustees only have one name left, it doesn't mean Couture will automatically be appointed president, according to the TU source. The board will likely consider other names before they make the final decision, which is expected to happen before the end of the semester, the source told the TU.

On Feb. 17, the Search Committee announced that three candidates - Beheruz N. Sethna, Richard Wells and Couture - were recommended to the SUNY Board of Trustees, who will make the final decision.

Sethna announced March 16 that he would be withdrawing his name as a finalist in the search process to remain the president of the University of West Georgia, a position he has held for nearly 15 years.

"I have informed them that while it has been a distinct honor to be considered for, and on the finalist list for, the position of president of the University at Albany, I feel I need to be at the University of West Georgia at this point in its history," Sethna told The Times-Hearld of Georgia last week.

A source who was once close to the search process told the ASP that after UAlbany faculty, staff and students interviewed candidates in early February, Sethna was the favorite candidate among most of the interviewers.

"Beheruz Sethna was a hands down favorite among some of the different groups of people that met all [the] candidates, including myself," the source said. "After that, there was no clear 2nd, 3rd, 4th [or] 5th choice."

Wells, who is the chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, released a statement last Friday announcing that he would be backing out of the process as well to remain chancellor.

"I recently met with representatives of the University at Albany as well as officials of the State University of New York System," Wells said. "However, on Thursday, March 19, I informed the State University of New York System officials of my decision to withdraw my candidacy as a finalist for the presidency of the University at Albany."

According to the ASP source, Wells was a close second among many of the interviewers in February.

UAlbany has been without an official president since its 17th president, Kermit Hall, drowned on Aug. 13, 2006 at his vacation home in South Carolina.

After Hall's death, Susan Herbst, UAlbany's provost and vice president for academic affairs, took over as officer-in-charge until she left for a top administrative job in Georgia's public university system at the end of October 2007.

Current Interim President George Philip was appointed to the position on Nov. 27, 2007 by the SUNY Board of Trustees.