Baker University’s Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Search Committee will interview eight candidates for the position Friday and Saturday.

The search committee, which includes faculty, administration and Board of Trustee members, first met in October.

Since then, the committee narrowed down the candidates from 68 applications to 15 people to receive reference checks.

“So many of them look alike on paper … the 15 that we did reference checks on were different than the rest of them,” committee member Alan Grant said. “These people do not all necessarily have the same background, but they all brought at least, with great strength, one of the things that we had decided were going to be one of our goals.”

Because of the number of people to reference check, the committee split up the reference calls among committee members and reconvened a week later to discuss each applicant.

After reviewing the reference checks, the committee narrowed the group to eight candidates to receive neutral-site interviews, which are interviews conducted off campus.

To this point, University President Pat Long has allowed her search committee to be in control of the narrowing process, so the neutral-site interviews will give the search a new perspective.

“When I meet (the candidates) face to face I’m going to have fresher eyes because they’ll be new to me,” Long said.

During the neutral-site interviews, the candidates will meet with the search committee for about an hour and a half and will then meet with Long for another hour or so.

“I am looking for someone that is creative and innovative about students,” Grant said. “I’m looking for someone who understands what it is that sets students apart and is willing to support and be a little entrepreneurial at getting our students to do unusual things that add value to them in the work place, and then make prospective students want to come here.”

Other qualities the committee is searching for include embracing Baker’s mission, a proven record of success, a strong academic leader and a person with the highest level of integrity.

“We’re looking for somebody that’s going to be able to relate to students even though a lot of students might not have a lot of daily contact with this person,” Committee Chair Martha Harris said. “We want students to know they are a consideration in this process.”

Final candidates for the position will be brought to Baker’s campus in mid to late February for a more in depth interview process. Long is hopeful the university will have the selection made and announced by the middle of March.

“I’m very eager to see who we’re going to bring in,” Long said.