USC trustees announce Friday meeting to vote on new president

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) – University of South Carolina trustees have officially announced a Friday meeting to vote on a new president.

The agenda for the meeting will have the leader of the Faculty Senate and the Student Government president speak before trustees go behind closed doors.

Trustees were set to pick a president among four finalists in April, but instead voted to continue the search after complaints from students and professors that front-runner retired Army general and West Point Superintendent Robert Caslen wasn’t qualified.

Protesters thought that meant the university would look for new finalists. But earlier this month, trustee Charlie Williams said Gov. Henry McMaster started pushing them to choose Caslen.

The objections to Caslen have gotten louder this month.

Williams plans to ask trustees to hold the debate in public.

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