Four finalists for the position of president of Coastal Carolina University will visit the campus from Monday, Dec. 4 through Friday, Dec. 8 for interviews and meetings. The public is invited to attend open sessions for each candidate.

The finalists are: Kyle R. Carter, Ph.D., provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at Western Carolina University; David A. DeCenzo, Ph.D., provost and senior vice president of academic administration at Coastal Carolina University; Sue DeWine, Ph.D., provost of Marietta College; and Maurice William Scherrens, Ed.D., senior vice president at George Mason University.

The following public meetings are scheduled:

* Scherrens, Tuesday, Dec. 5 from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

* DeWine, Wednesday, Dec. 6 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.

* DeCenzo, Thursday, Dec. 7 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.

* Carter, Friday, Dec. 8 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.

All the public sessions are being held in the Hospitality Suite of Brooks Stadium.

Meetings, tours and receptions are being held throughout the week for the four candidates. They will meet with faculty, staff and students, as well as off-campus groups such as donors, community leaders, and members of the board of trustees, legislative delegation, Horry County Higher Education Commission and others.

A 12-person advisory committee narrowed the candidate pool from 76 to 11 and then to the final four after off-site interviews. The committee has been working since May to identify a successor for Ronald R. Ingle, who will retire June 30, 2007, after a 14-year tenure as president. It is expected that the board of trustees will name the university's second president in early 2007.

The advisory committee is a group representing a broad base of campus constituencies. The committee reviews applications, interviews candidates and identifies those to be interviewed by the university's board of trustees. The board and the advisory committee are assisted by the search firm Greenwood and Associates Inc. of Miramar Beach, Fla.

More about the candidates:

Kyle R. Carter has been provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at Western Carolina University since 2004. Prior to that appointment he was acting president at Central Missouri State University where he also served as provost and vice president for academic affairs from 1998 to 2004. Carter earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from Mercer University, a master's degree in educational psychology and a Ph.D. in educational psychology, both from the University of Georgia.

David DeCenzo has been at Coastal since 2002 when he was named dean of the Wall College of Business. In 2006 he was named provost and senior vice president of academic administration. Before joining the Coastal faculty, DeCenzo served as director of partnership development in the College of Business and Economics at Towson University in Maryland from 1999 to 2002. DeCenzo earned a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Maryland College Park and a master's degree and Ph.D. from West Virginia University.

Sue DeWine has been provost of Marietta College since 2000. Prior to that appointment she was director of the School of Interpersonal Communication at Ohio University from 1988 to 1999. She earned a bachelor's degree in English and speech education and a master's degree in rhetoric and public address, both from Miami University, and a Ph.D. in interpersonal and organizational communication, counseling psychology from Indiana University.

Maurice William Scherrens has been senior vice president at George Mason University since 1996. He also served as executive vice president for finance and planning at George Mason University from 1985 to 1996. He earned a bachelor's and master's degree in business administration from Central Michigan University, a J.D. from George Washington University and an Ed.D. in higher education from the University of Southern California.

The full interview schedule for the Presidential candidates is on Coastal's Web site at www.coastal.edu/presidentialsearch.