A Winona State University Vice President has been selected as one of five finalists for the position of Chancellor of U-W Eau Claire.

Dr. James Schmidt will be on the U-W Eau Claire campus in the coming weeks, along with the other candidates, to participate in a series of public forums giving staff, students and the community a chance interact directly with them.

No dates for the forums have been announced.

According to the university, U-W System President Dr. Rama Reilly and a special regent commission will interview the finalists on March 20th.

No date was announced for the final appointment.

Schmidt is a 1986 graduate of Winona State. He is current Vice President for University Advancement and Executive Director of the WSU Foundation Board of Trustees.

Since his graduation from WSU, Schmidt has also been employed in administration roles with Minnesota Riverland Technical College and Austin Community College.

He started at Winona State in 1998. 

Schmidt is the second WSU administrator in line for a new position.

Vice President for Student Life and Development, Connie Gores is one of two finalists for the position of President of Southwest Minnesota State in Marshall.

The new president will be announced on February 26th by the Minnesota State Colleges and University Board.