The Reflector

After an emergency teleconference meeting Wednesday afternoon, the Institutions of Higher Learning Board of Trustees announced it will postpone the second round of interviews for the Mississippi State University presidential search, which were scheduled for Oct. 2.

Originally, the board planned to announce the preferred candidate then and have a president chosen by Oct. 13.

In a statement posted to the IHL Web site Wednesday, Board Search Committee chairman Scott Ross said the board is still planning to have a finalist by Nov. 1.

"The board, together with search consultant Jerry Baker, is still conducting its due diligence," Ross said.

Annie Mitchell, IHL director of media relations, said no new information regarding the reason for the delay has been released since Wednesday's announcement.

"Right now the board is speaking from the statement," she said.

Vice president for student affairs Bill Kibler agreed with Ross' statement and said the committee postponed the interviews for more time to conduct its due diligence.

Ross and MSU Interim President Vance Watson were unavailable for comment.

According to a Reuters news agency report Wednesday, U.S. Department of Agriculture undersecretary Mark Keenum, a rumored presidential candidate, was nominated in June to a seat on the board of the Farm Credit Administration. Keenum has neither denied nor confirmed that he is a candidate for president in the current search. The FCA regulates the Farm Credit System and the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation, or Farmer Mac, according to the report.

Keenum, who was nominated to his current position by President George W. Bush, is the former chief of staff for U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran.

USDA press secretary Keith Williams said Keenum was nominated to the position on the committee by Bush and the Senate will decide whether to confirm a spot for him on the committee.

"They know him very well," Williams said. "He's developed many ties with the Senate during his tenure as undersecretary."

Williams said just because someone may be nominated to the committee, there's no way of knowing how soon that person will or will not be confirmed by the Senate.

"His nomination was reported over the summer and, again, Mark doesn't make any presumptions," Williams said. "Where he goes is ultimately up to whoever hires him."

Editor in Chief Erin Kourkounis, Managing Editor David Breland and News Editor Carl Smith contributed to this article.

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