The committee charged with finding a replacement for outgoing University of Kentucky President Lee Todd selected a search firm Friday to help them recruit and screen potential candidates for the job.
The committee unanimously approved hiring Greenwood/Asher & Associates Inc., an executive search firm based in Miramar Beach, Fla. A contract is still being negotiated with the firm, university officials said.
Whoever is chosen as the 12th president of UK will lead a university with a $2.5 million budget, and 27,800 students spread across 16 colleges and a graduate school. The person also will inherit the state-mandated goal of advancing UK as a top-tier research university.
The UK Board of Trustees hopes to have a new president in place by next spring.
Todd, who has led the state's flagship university since 2001, announced in September he would be leaving when his current contract expires in June 2011.