University of Missouri hires search team for chancellor

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- The firm that helped the University of Missouri system find a new president also will lead the search for a permanent chancellor on the Columbia campus, the university announced Monday.

The system plans to conduct a national search for the permanent chancellor, led by the Boston-based search firm of Isaacson, Miller, which worked with the Missouri Board of Curators to hire Mun Choi as new system president.

Choi, a University of Connecticut provost, was consulted about the search decision, interim president Michael Middleton said in a news release.

Hank Foley, who has been interim chancellor on the Columbia campus, issued a statement Monday saying he would like to be considered for the permanent chancellor job.

Foley replaced former chancellor R. Bowen Loftin, who resigned in November 2015 after student protests amid racial tension on the Columbia campus.

Choi replaces Tim Wolfe, who resigned as president after the protests.

"Dr. Choi has made it clear that establishing permanent leadership at MU is an early priority of his presidency," Middleton said. "(Monday) we will begin the process of selecting the next great leader of MU by launching a national search, which is the customary approach for a prestigious public, land-grant ... institution."

The university system plans to form a search committee in the near future.

The committee will recommend finalists for the chancellor job to Choi, who becomes president March 1.

Foley said in his statement it is his "hope to continue serving as chancellor," but he supported the decision to conduct a national search.

"The team we've built to lead Missouri's premier public university is strong and uniquely positioned to continue to move MU in the right direction," Foley said. "The opportunity to work alongside our tremendous faculty, staff and students -- to grow research, seek new funding models and improve our best-in-class programs -- is an honor I'd cherish."