University of Pittsburgh provost is finalist for presidency at Portland State

University of Pittsburgh Provost Ann Cudd is one of two finalists for the presidency of Portland State University.

Trustees at the public institution in Portland, OR. with 22,000 students met this week and have entered a negotiation phase, a confidential process typically lasting two to six weeks before a new president is named, spokeswoman Christina Williams said Friday.

Portland is seeking a successor to Stephen Percy, who is retiring. Its presidential search page links to letters of interest from both Cudd and another finalist, Kathy Johnson, executive vice chancellor for academic affairs at IUPUI in Indianapolis. A third person withdrew.

A call to Cudd’s office was not returned Friday. Pitt released a statement: “It is certainly not unusual for outstanding individuals within our community to be approached for open leadership positions at other institutions.”

Last year, Cudd was among five finalists to lead the University of Wisconsin system’s flagship campus in Madison.

Cudd, a philosophy professor and senior vice chancellor, is the institution’s chief academic officer. She reports to Chancellor Patrick Gallagher, who is stepping down this summer and plans to teach on campus.

Pitt officials said Friday the search for his successor is progressing toward a decision during the spring semester. Pitt has nearly 34,000 students in Oakland and branches at Greensburg, Johnstown, Titusville and Bradford.