SIU board to discuss Carbondale chancellor's post

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - The Southern Illinois University system's governing board is poised to begin mapping out how to fill the void left by the pending departure of the Carbondale campus' chancellor.

The SIU Board of Regents has scheduled a meeting for Tuesday at the Edwardsville campus to privately discuss who will replace Rita Cheng, at least in the interim.

Cheng has been the Carbondale school's chancellor since 2010. But she's been hired as the new president at Northern Arizona University.

SIU President Randy Dunn has said Cheng is to start her new job in Flagstaff in mid-August and, at least for now, scheduled to remain with SIU into next month.

Dunn says specifics about the possible breadth or duration of a search for Cheng's permanent successor could become clearer after Tuesday's meeting.