UF President Bernie Machen announced he is temporarily ending the search for a new Levin College of Law dean.
In an email to law students Friday, Machen wrote the candidates were accomplished but he and Provost Joe Glover “did not find one ideally suited to lead the College.”
In a separate email to law faculty and staff, Machen proposed that professor George Dawson take over as interim dean once current dean Robert Jerry vacates the position June 30.
Jerry announced in August he would step down but would remain a faculty member.
Final candidates in the search included David Brennen, dean and professor at University of Kentucky College of Law; Samuel Donaldson, a Georgia State University College of Law professor; and David Huebner, a former ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa.
UF spokeswoman Janine Sikes said Machen will revisit opening the search sometime in the near future.
Megan Harsh, a 23-year-old UF first-year law student, said she couldn’t believe the amount of effort that was put into finding a dean.
“I’m pretty disappointed that they used so much time and resources,” she said.
Faculty and staff are invited to attend a private meeting Tuesday with Machen and Glover to discuss Dawson’s nomination. The meeting will begin at 10 a.m. in Room 180 of the law school.
[A version of this story ran on page 1 on 3/17/2014 under the headline "Machen calls off search for law school dean, proposes stand-in"]
