After 29 years away from the campus where Kim Wilcox started his college career, he could be returning.

Wilcox, who is currently the dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Kansas, was recommended as MSU's next provost, pending the MSU Board of Trustees approval.

Wilcox was recommended on Thursday to President Lou Anna K. Simon and the board by MSU's provost search and rating committee, said chairwoman of the committee and anthropology Professor Lynne Goldstein.

The committee, composed of professors, students and staff members, was formed in October to advise Simon on the selection of her successor as provost. The committee selected five candidates from out-of-state schools from a pool of about 50 applicants.

The provost is the chief academic officer on campus and oversees appointments, terminations, salaries and the academic budget, among other things.

Goldstein said the committee met on Wednesday evening to discuss the pros and cons of the five candidates up for the position, and Wilcox's strengths stood out more than others.

Simon said she was excited about the committee's recommendation.

"In my meeting with the committee, Dr. Wilcox was clearly their strong recommendation," Simon said. "After meeting with him and having a chance to talk to him, it was clear that he was the perfect fit for Michigan State."

Wilcox graduated from MSU in 1976 with a degree in audiology and speech sciences. He was the only candidate of five that had earned a degree from MSU. At Kansas, Wilcox said he oversees a college with 18,000 students and 50 departments and programs. Wilcox also served as the president and CEO of the Kansas Board of Regents.

"I'm excited and flattered," Wilcox said during a phone conversation from his home in Lawrence, Kan.

MSU Board member David Porteous said the search committee did a tremendous job of sorting through a large number of candidates and nominations in order to produce the people who came to campus.

"The selection of a provost is the most important decision that an institution like MSU has," Porteous said. "The provost search committee has been doing a very, very good job."

Simon said it was important that the committee make its recommendation as soon as possible because several candidates, including Wilcox were also candidates at other institutions.

Wilcox withdrew his eligibility for a provost position at the University of Florida when he was informed that he was the committee's recommendation.

He has met with Simon to discuss the negotiations and specifications of the provost contract and said he is eager to hear the board's final decision at their next meeting on June 10.

If officially named provost, Wilcox said he would be eager to get started with his plans to improve the university.

"I understand some of the traditions and values at the university," he said. "There are a lot of opportunities to move the university ahead. I hope my experience in higher education will help the university realize those opportunities."

Amy Davis can be reached at davisam8@msu.edu.