SIUE Chancellor Furst-Bowe withdraws as semifinalist for Minnesota post
By DENNIS GRUBAUGH
EDWARDSVILLE — SIUE’s chancellor has withdrawn from consideration as one of two finalists for a college post in Minnesota.
Julie Furst-Bowe, who was under consideration to be vice chancellor for academic and student affairs for Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, pulled her name from consideration Thursday, shortly before getting a one-year contract extension from the SIU board.
The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system includes 24, two-year community, technical and comprehensive colleges and seven state universities serving more than 410,000 students. It is the fifth-largest higher education system of its kind in the United States.
Furst-Bowe (left) was traveling and not available for comment this morning, but an SIUE spokesman confirmed she had withdrawn her name from consideration.
According to a release posted May 8 on the website for the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system, Steven Rosenstone, was expecting to issue a recommendation on the position at the board of trustees meeting set for May 20. The start date of the new vice chancellor had been slated for July 1.
Furst-Bowe has been chancellor at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville since July 2012. On Thursday, shortly after she withdrew her name in Minnesota, the SIU board extended her current contract by one year, through June 2017. The SIU board took the action as the last point on its agenda on Thursday, a spokesman said.
Furst-Bowe’s higher ed background was cultivated in the Upper Midwest. Previously, she served the University of Wisconsin-Stout as provost, vice chancellor of academic and student affairs, assistant chancellor of assessment and continuous improvement, associate vice chancellor of academic and student affairs, chair of the department of communications, education and training, and as a member of the faculty.
She also served the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire as a media specialist, and she served the University of Wisconsin-Waukesha as a library and media specialist.
She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, a master’s from the University of Wisconsin-Stout and a doctorate from the University of Minnesota.
The other finalist for the Minnesota job has been identified as Ron Anderson, the president of Century College since 2011. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Saint Olaf College and a master’s and doctorate from the University of Minnesota.
The candidates were recommended by a search advisory committee chaired by Richard Hanson, president of Bemidji State University and Northwest Technical College, and comprised of representatives from faculty bargaining units, student associations, and leaders from the system office and campuses, according to the Minnesota system website.
