NIU’s provost search, improved organization of work orders and committee selections all warranted discussion as Paul Stoddard led Wednesday’s Faculty Senate meeting.

The Faculty Senate president and executive secretary of University Council said the provost search committee met until 10 p.m. Tuesday and planned to whittle the pool down to four candidates.

Stoddard said President Peters is pleased with the pool of candidates, and within the pool, a good number of the colleges are represented. The university hopes to offer the position by mid-May and to sign the position by mid-June.

Chemistry professor C.T. Lin addressed the Senate on behalf of the resource, space and budget committee. The university is understaffed 27 positions, an issue of which the provost intends to take care, Lin said.

To better organize work orders, the idea of a Web site warranted positive reactions from the Senate, a project to possibly be maintained by a student.

To solve the Senate’s past issues in filling committees, names on slips of paper were drawn to assign members to vacant positions.