NIU Provost Kendall Baker was not tapped for the presidency of Kent State University.

The KSU Board of Trustees voted Thursday to name Carol Cartwright, vice chancellor for Academic Affairs at the University of California at Davis, as president.

Cartwright will be the first woman president of Kent State and also the first at any Ohio state college or university.

Although Baker was hoping for the job, he is in good spirits about the decision.

“I feel as I did from the beginning,” Baker said. “Mainly, I was happy to be a part of it and to be nominated in the first place.”

After visiting Kent State last month, Baker said he was pleased with the university and would have taken the presidency job if the board had chosen him.

“Kent is a fine university and I’m sure it will be a fine opportunity for Dr. Cartwright,” Baker said.

Baker said he likes NIU and plans to stay here.

“I think there are lots of challenges at NIU,” Baker said. “I’m happy here and I hope to be able to make some kind of contribution at NIU.”

However, Baker said if another opportunity like this came up and someone thought he was qualified for such a position, he would consider it.

The presidency position became available when Kent State President Michael Schwartz announced last March he would step down and return to teaching.

A 15-member presidential search committee, made up of KSU trustees, faculty, staff, students and alumni, received 110 nominations from across the country.

The committee narrowed the nominations to three finalists in October. Baker was one on the finalists, but said he still does not know who nominated him for the position.

The board was gratified with the quality of applicants, said Raymond Janson, chairman of Kent State Board of Trustees.