South Dakota Board of Regents
For release: Thursday, Feb. 20, 2003
For more information: Tad Perry, 773-3455

Three Finalists Named for Tech Presidency

PIERRE – Three candidates are finalists to become the next president at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, the South Dakota Board of Regents’ search committee announced Thursday.

Regent Pat Lebrun, who chairs the search process, said the three finalists are visiting the Rapid City campus this Friday and Saturday (Feb. 21-22) for scheduled meetings with campus constituents. A presidential search has been under way since October to replace President Richard Gowen, who is retiring July 1.

The finalists announced Thursday are:

• Lee Alley, chief information officer for the South Dakota Board of Regents, Pierre. Alley has worked for the Regents since 2001, with responsibility for projects and operations involving technology, student systems and services, and distance learning. After nearly 30 years as a faculty member and senior administrator at such institutions as Texas Tech, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Arizona State, and Southern Methodist University, Alley was employed in the private sector and as a consultant in higher education technology services. He has a Ph.D. in management systems and a M.S. in computer science, both from the University of Nebraska. He also holds a master’s degree in physics and a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and physics from Central Missouri State University. 

• Charles Ruch, president of Boise State University, Boise, Idaho. Ruch has been president at Boise State University since 1993, where he also is a professor of education. He was previously provost and vice president for academic affairs, and dean of the School of Education at Virginia Commonwealth University. He has Ph.D. and M.A. degrees in education from Northwestern University and a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from College of Wooster.

• Allen L. Soyster, dean of the College of Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, Mass. Soyster has been a professor and dean of engineering at Northeastern since 1997, and was previously professor and head of the industrial engineering department at Pennsylvania State University from 1981 to 1996. He has a Ph.D. in operations research from Carnegie Mellon University, a M.S. in industrial engineering and operations research from Cornell University, and a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from Penn State. 

The Board of Regents will meet in executive session with the finalists during their campus visits. Copies of finalists’ professional vitae are posted at http://www.sdbor.edu/pres/finalists.htm.

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(Editors/News Directors: These finalists will NOT be available for public comment or interviews until a candidate is named to fill the post of SDSMT president.)

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