Poshard taps new SIU-Carbondale chancellor

CARBONDALE -- The president of Southern Illinois University says he's made up his mind about who should be the next chancellor of the system's flagship Carbondale campus.

Glenn Poshard will introduce his choice later in the day. The two finalists are the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's Rita Cheng and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Barbara Couture.

Cheng has served as provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at UWM since May 2005. Couture has been senior vice chancellor for academic affairs at Nebraska since 2004.

Poshard will present his recommendation to the SIU board on Dec. 10.

The new chancellor is to begin her Carbondale duties next summer and succeed former university trustee Samuel Goldman, who's been serving in the interim since spring 2008.