News OK January 4, 2012 Langston University announces four finalists for president's job By Silas Allen sallen@opubco.com Langston University<http://newsok.com/keysearch/?er=1&CANONICAL=Langston+University&CATEGORY=ORGANIZATION> officials announced four final candidates for the school's next president on Wednesday. The four finalists will be interviewed Jan. 19 in Oklahoma City<http://newsok.com/keysearch/?er=1&CANONICAL=Oklahoma+City&CATEGORY=CITY> during a meeting of the Board of Regents for Oklahoma State University<http://newsok.com/keysearch/?er=1&CANONICAL=Oklahoma+State+University+System&CATEGORY=ORGANIZATION> and the A&M Colleges. Regents hope to be able to name a president by the end of the month. The four finalists are Phillip D. Birdine<http://newsok.com/keysearch/?er=1&CANONICAL=Phillip+Birdine&CATEGORY=PERSON>, president of Western Oklahoma State College<http://newsok.com/keysearch/?er=1&CANONICAL=Western+Oklahoma+State+College&CATEGORY=ORGANIZATION>; Myron L. Pope<http://newsok.com/keysearch/?er=1&CANONICAL=Myron+Pope&CATEGORY=PERSON>, vice president of enrollment management at University of Central Oklahoma<http://newsok.com/keysearch/?er=1&CANONICAL=University+of+Central+Oklahoma&CATEGORY=ORGANIZATION>; Kent J. Smith<http://newsok.com/keysearch/?er=1&CANONICAL=Kent+Smith&CATEGORY=PERSON>, vice president for student affairs and chief student affairs officer at Ohio University<http://newsok.com/keysearch/?er=1&CANONICAL=Ohio+University&CATEGORY=ORGANIZATION> in Athens, Ohio<http://newsok.com/keysearch/?er=1&CANONICAL=Athens+%28Ohio%29&CATEGORY=CITY>; and Charles Williams<http://newsok.com/keysearch/?er=1&CANONICAL=Charles+Williams&CATEGORY=PERSON>, vice president for academic affairs at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore<http://newsok.com/keysearch/?er=1&CANONICAL=University+of+Maryland-Eastern+Shore&CATEGORY=ORGANIZATION> in Princess Anne, Md. The candidates were recommended by a 20-member search committee made up of members of Langston faculty, staff, administration, students and alumni, as well as representatives from the Tulsa<http://newsok.com/keysearch/?er=1&CANONICAL=Tulsa&CATEGORY=CITY> and Oklahoma City campuses. In addition to meeting with the regents, the four candidates will meet with a number of Langston campus groups in the coming weeks. "We are very pleased to be nearing the completion of this process with four outstanding candidates," Andrew Lester<http://newsok.com/keysearch/?er=1&CANONICAL=Andrew+Lester&CATEGORY=PERSON>, a member of the Board of Regents and chairman of the search committee, said in a news release. "A number of impressive candidates from across the country applied for the presidency of Langston University. The interest in the position underscores the attractiveness of the opportunity to lead one of the finest, historic black universities in our country. The four finalists are each enthusiastic about the future of Langston University and the potential opportunity to lead it into a new era." Former Langston President JoAnn Haysbert left the university last year to return to Hampton University<http://newsok.com/keysearch/?er=1&CANONICAL=Hampton+University&CATEGORY=ORGANIZATION> in Virginia<http://newsok.com/keysearch/?er=1&CANONICAL=Virginia&CATEGORY=STATE> to serve as executive vice president. Haysbert worked in various administrative and academic roles at Hampton<http://newsok.com/keysearch/?er=1&CANONICAL=Hampton&CATEGORY=CITY> for 25 years before coming to Langston in 2005. Haysbert was Langston's 15th president and first female president. She also was the first black female university president in Oklahoma<http://newsok.com/keysearch/?er=1&CANONICAL=Oklahoma&CATEGORY=STATE> history. In September, the Board of Regents approved the appointment of Henry Ponder as interim president of the school. Before leaving the university, Haysbert had named Ponder acting president. SANDRA M. PHOENIX Executive Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 404.592.4820 Skype:sandra.phoenix1 1438 West Peachtree Street NW Suite 200 Atlanta, GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (Lyrasis) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children.