MERWIN OUT OF SEMO RUNNING

The Board of Regents will choose a new president for Southeast Missouri State University today from among two finalists rather than three.

The field narrowed Monday when Dr. William C. Merwin withdrew as a finalist because he has been offered the job of president of Salisbury State University at Salisbury, Md.

Merwin's decision means the regents will decide between Dr. Dale Nitzschke, an educational consultant in Milford, Ohio, and former president of the University of New Hampshire, and Dr. G. Warren Smith, chemistry professor and former president at Southeastern Louisiana University at Hammond, La.

Merwin, president of the State University of New York at Potsdam, officially withdrew in telephone calls Monday afternoon to two men who helped direct Southeast's search: Donald Harrison and Allan Ostar. Harrison is president of the Board of Regents and Ostar is the consultant hired by the board to help coordinate the search.

The Washington, D.C.-based consultant arrived in Cape Girardeau Monday in advance of today's regents meeting.

Ostar was in Cape Girardeau when the telephone call came.

Harrison said the regents had known Merwin was a finalist for the Salisbury State job. But he said Merwin's last-minute decision to withdraw as a finalist for the Southeast presidency was a surprise.

"He told us he wanted to hold off until we made a decision; then he changed his mind," Harrison said.

Harrison said Merwin indicated as late as Friday that he was interested in the Southeast job.

But Monday afternoon Merwin told Harrison that his wife wanted to move to Maryland.

"They felt that was the thing they should do," Harrison said.

Merwin said, "It was a very difficult choice.

"Southeast Missouri State is a wonderful institution. There is no question about it. So is Salisbury State," he said when reached at his home Monday night.

Merwin said he hasn't accepted the Salisbury job yet. "They have made me an offer and I am in negotiations with them."

Salisbury State has about 6,500 students.

Southeast's five regents will meet at 9 a.m. today in open session in the University Center Party Room and then immediately go into closed session to discuss routine matters.

The regents then will reconvene for the open session around 11 a.m. After that, the regents will go behind closed doors to select a new president.

School officials said the regents are expected to announce their decision by late this afternoon, ending a search that began last fall.

Harrison said either of the two remaining finalists would make a good president for Southeast.

He said the regents might make a quicker decision since there is one less finalist to consider.

The new president will replace Dr. Kala Stroup, who resigned last summer to become Missouri's commissioner of higher education.

Dr. Bill Atchley, former president of Clemson University, has served as interim president since Sept. 1.

In open session, the regents will consider plans to construct a shuttle bus storage and maintenance facility on land that is now part of the school's parking lot on Washington Avenue, east of Sprigg Street; and create a Regent Emeriti Society for former regents.

Dr. Ken Dobbins, executive vice president, said a federal grant would pay 80 percent of the cost of the $1.3 million project. The value of the land would count toward the university's share of the cost, he said.

The building would be constructed on the northwest corner of the site, well back from Washington Street, he said.

The structure would be large enough to house 10 buses.

Atchley wants to create the Regent Emeriti Society so the school can keep close ties with former regents.

Currently, when regents leave the board there is no formal way for the university to stay in touch, said Art Wallhausen, assistant to the president.

"These are people who have abilities and knowledge that the university could use," he said.