Indiana administrator is finalist to lead Temple U

PHILADELPHIA - August 3, 2012 (WPVI) -- The next president of Temple University could be a senior college administrator from Indiana who is an expert in education finance, officials announced Friday.

Indiana University senior vice president Neil Theobald is the sole finalist to lead the Philadelphia institution, Temple trustees said. Theobald will visit the school next week before trustees vote on his appointment on Tuesday.

"At Indiana, he made the tough decisions demanded by our times, while creating greater opportunities for student scholarship," Temple trustees Chairman Patrick O'Connor said in a statement. "I can't think of a better set of values to bring to the Temple presidency."

Theobald also serves as chief financial officer at Indiana, overseeing a budget of about $3.1 billion. In addition, he is an education finance professor at the main campus in Bloomington.

He would replace former Temple president Ann Weaver Hart, who recently left to take the helm at the University of Arizona.

Theobald could not be reached for comment Friday. He said in a statement that he is "thrilled" to be considered for the position.

"Temple's stature, and its potential for continuing to provide affordable excellence to students and their families, makes this an ideal opportunity," Theobald said.

A spokesman for Indiana University declined to comment.

Theobald has worked in various capacities at Indiana since 1993. Prior to that, he taught education finance at the University of Washington and worked as a high school math teacher.

Originally from Peoria, Ill., Theobald earned a bachelor's degree from Trinity College and a doctoral degree from the University of Washington. He is married with three children.

Theobald is scheduled to meet with Temple students, staff and faculty on Monday and Tuesday. If selected as president, Temple officials said he would start on Jan. 1.

Temple is one of four state-related institutions in Pennsylvania, meaning it gets some public funding but is not under direct state control. It serves about 39,000 undergraduate and graduate students on nine campuses.

Indiana is public research university with about 110,000 students on eight campuses.

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