While the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute Board of Counselors has recommended David Yepsen to be its next director, a source familiar with the process said it would be a mistake to assume that Yepsen would be offered the job.

Yepsen, a political columnist for the Des Moines Register, was one of three finalists for the director’s position. Finalists also included State Rep. Arthur Turner and School of Journalism Director Bill Freivogel.

Sources close to the process said SIU President Glenn Poshard has entered negotiations with Turner, though the institute’s 13-member board recommended Yepsen. The sources said they wished to remain anonymous during the hiring process.

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The three finalists were chosen by a search committee, which forwarded its recommendations to Poshard. The institute’s Board of Counselors – which is separate from the search committee – traditionally backs a candidate, though it is Poshard’s choice that will be sent to the SIU Board of Trustees for approval.

Poshard confirmed Monday that the institute’s board chose Yepsen, but said no contracts had been finalized with any candidate.

Yepsen declined to say whether he was offered the position.

‘I think it is the prerogative of the president to make this choice,’ Yepsen said. ‘It’s up to him to choose. Whatever he wants to do or not do, and say or not say, is up to him.’

Turner did not return two phone messages left Tuesday.

Freivogel said he did not expect to receive the job offer.

Poshard said the board’s recommendation was considered, but he would ultimately rely on the search committee’s recommendation to make his choice.

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The search committee said all three candidates were equally qualified for the job, Poshard said.

‘ ‘(The Board of Counselors’ recommendation) was considered, looked at carefully and gets the full weight of any other consideration,’ Poshard said. ‘But beyond that, the normal process of a search committee was used.’

The institute was founded in 1997 by former two-term U.S. Senator from Illinois, Paul Simon, who died in 2003. It works directly with elected officials and others to implement changes in public policy.

Mike Lawrence, the institute’s former director, said it was his understanding that the institute’s board recommended Yepsen.

‘I recused myself from the process, but I’ve been told that a clear majority of the board has recommended David Yepsen,’ said Lawrence, who retired in October.

Institute officials had tentatively scheduled an announcement of the director for Tuesday, but the press conference was canceled for personnel reasons, said Sheila Simon, chair of the institute’s board.

Poshard is set to meet with administrators Friday to discuss the position, Simon said. She said she did not know when the announcement would be made.

Poshard said he did not know of any such meeting.

Simon declined to further comment on the matter.

‘Based on the status of where everything is at right now, I’m going to continue to say that this is a personnel matter not appropriate to discuss at this point,’ she said.

Officials involved with the search process have said they expected a director to be chosen by early February, meaning the Board of Trustees would have to approve the choice at its next scheduled meeting Feb. 12.

The institute’s Board of Counselors consists of nine at-large members, two members of the Simon family and the Chancellor Sam Goldman and Vice Chancellor of Institutional Advancement Rickey McCurry.