Karen Holbrook

Only one candidate remains; regents expected to finalize decision soon

One of the two finalists for the job of president of Arizona State University dropped out of the race last week, leaving Michael Crow as the only candidate to be the university's next president.

Karen Holbrook, provost at the University of Georgia, dropped out of the running after visiting the campus.

"I very much appreciated the invitation of the search committee to seriously consider this position," she said. "Arizona State University is an outstanding institution that is playing a major role in the future of that state, as I saw during my visit to campus last week. But after spending the weekend considering what this move would mean professionally and personally, I decided this is not the right fit for me at this time."

Crow, executive vice provost at Columbia University, met with the Arizona Board of Regents Thursday to discuss his vision for ASU.

ASU President Lattie Coor is retiring June 30 after 12 years on the job.

Crow has said in student forums that he would like to see ASU become more visible in the social, economic and political activities of the state. He also talked about the importance of corporate support.

ASU has revealed several expectations of its new president. Crow would be expected to lead the revitalization of the local Tempe economy by attracting high-tech businesses, chart the growth of ASU's three overcrowded campuses and make the university an elite research center like the University of Arizona.

Crow is now the only finalist for the job, and regents are expected to announce their decision soon. The board will meet Thursday and Friday at Northern Arizona University's Yuma campus.

Crow would likely make more money than Coor, who earns $224,250 in salary and more than $320,000 in total compensation.