JEFF AMY, Associated Press
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The Mississippi College Board has named Jeffrey Vitter, the brother of a U.S. senator who is provost at the University of Kansas, as its top choice to become chancellor of the University of Mississippi.
Jeff Vitter is the preferred candidate for Ole Miss chancellor but isn’t here today. He’ll come to campus next week
— Royce Swayze (@royce_swayze) October 19, 2015
John Polk, chairman of the Senate Universities and Colleges Committee, says Higher Education Commissioner Glenn Boyce told him the board will announced the selection on Monday. The board still needs to take a final vote to make the selection official.
Vitter, a 59-year-old computer scientist, has also served as provost at Texas A&M University and dean of the College of Science at Indiana’s Purdue University.
Republican Sen. David Vitter of Louisiana is Jeffrey Vitter’s brother.
Earlier this month, Vitter was named one of three finalists to become chancellor of the University of Arkansas. That status may have motivated quick action in Mississippi.