New Mexico State University announced a list of five candidates on Friday, February 2, who have the potential to be the university’s next president. Among those named was Southern Illinois University’s Chancellor, Austin Lane. 

“Me and my team are laser focused on supporting students, faculty and staff. We have been making tremendous progress on our top five priorities in the Imagine 2030 strategic plan and will continue to do so,” Lane said. “While I’m flattered that NMSU has recognized me as a finalist, it’s important to note that there are four others going through this process. Until then, I remained focused on our goals we set for this year.”

The others featured on the list include: Michael Galyean (Texas Tech), Wayne E. Jones Jr. (University of New Hampshire), John Volin (UMaine) and Richard B. Williams (Utah Tech). 

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Lane was appointed as Chancellor on July 1, 2020. As the face of the Salukis, his programs helped increase enrollment for the first time since 2014 this past fall, which continued into the Spring 2024 semester. 

Lane’s main strategic plan at SIU, Imagine 2030, is a major factor in his consideration for the NMSU position, per the announcement from New Mexico State. 

The university also stated that each of the five candidates are expected to visit the NMSU campus and get a feel for the community before being selected. These visits start in mid-late February. 

There is no date listed for when the decision is to be made. 

Updated Feb. 6, 2024. For more updates, follow the Daily Egyptian for continued coverage.

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