Nearly 11 months after former president Ann Weaver Hart announced that she would not be returning to Temple this summer, the Presidential Search Committee announced in an email that it will recommend Neil Theobald, senior vice president and chief financial officer at Indiana University, to become Temple’s next president.

Patrick J. O’Connor, chairman of the Board of Trustees and the Presidential Search Committee said in an email Friday morning that Theobald will be recommended to the Board of Trustees on Aug. 7, and pending the trustees’ vote, will become president on Jan. 1.

“After reviewing…submissions and interviewing dozens of candidates, we came to the unanimous decision that Neil Theobald has the experience, vision and proven track record to lead this great university,” O’Connor said.

O’Connor said that Theobald’s record as a teacher and his dedication for making education affordable and accessible, made him an ideal candidate for president.

“At Indiana, he made the tough decisions demanded by our times, while creating greater opportunities for student scholarship,” O’Connor said. “I can’t think of a better set of values to bring to the Temple presidency.”

Theobald will be on Main Campus Monday and Tuesday to meet with students and faculty and to attend the Board of Trustees meeting.

Check back with temple-news.com for more information on Temple’s new president.