Oregon Public Broadcasting

The Oregon University System announced Monday the likely successor to U of O’s long-time president, Dave Frohnmayer. Rob Manning reports on presidential finalist, Richard Lariviere.

Lariviere is scheduled to visit Eugene next week. The single finalist for the presidential job is an executive vice-chancellor and provost at the University of Kansas.

He was a professor and dean at the University of Texas for more than ten years, before moving to Kansas.

Unlike U of O’s current president, Lariviere doesn’t have any clear ties to Oregon. He said in a written statement that he “looks forward” to getting to know the school, the campus, and the state.

From the beginning the Board of Higher Education planned to name just one finalist - so they could maintain the confidentiality of applicants who were unlikely to get the job.

The Oregon University System is sticking to that pledge, and not revealing even the number of semi-finalists.

The Board of Higher Education is expected to decide whether to offer the job to Lariviere next week, after his meetings with staff and students in Eugene.