A University of Minnesota search committee announced three finalists for its vice president for equity and diversity on Thursday.

The three candidates are Louis Mendoza, Wanda Mitchell and Alysa Rollock.

After four years in office, former VPED Nancy Barcelo left the position in 2010 to become president at Northern New Mexico College in Espanola, N.M. Kris Lockart has served in the interim.

The vice president for equity and diversity is the University’s “chief diversity officer.”

The three candidates will participate in public forums in the next two weeks, in which they will give 10-15 minute presentations and answer questions on their views on what the position will do for the University.

Mendoza is currently the associate vice provost for equity and diversity and chair of the Department of Chicano Studies at the University. His forum is on May 3.

Mitchell is the Vice provost for faculty development and inclusive excellence at the
University of New Hampshire, and  her forum is on May 7.

Rollock is the vice president for ethics and compliance at
Purdue University, and her forum is on May 8.

All three forums will be held from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at Coffman Union.

In an email sent out to the university community, Senior Vice President for Academic Administration Robert Jones urged the University community to attend and actively participate in the forums.

Community members can also share their opinions on the candidates in the evaluation form on the Office for Equity and Diversity’s website.

In addition to participating in the forums, the candidates will also meet with the senior leadership team, Twin Cities deans, faculty, staff, students and a group of community leaders throughout the next two weeks.

Jones and Kaler will make the final decision. They have not set a specific time when they will announce their hire, Tombarge said.