Search committee urges St. Thomas to hire first woman president

A presidential search committee for the University of St. Thomas has recommended the Catholic school hire its first woman, non-priest president, the Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal reports.

Citing a person close to one of the four finalists for the position, the Business Journal identified the person recommended as Julie Sullivan. An official with the University of St. Thomas declined to name the candidate.

Sullivan is currently chief academic and budget officer at the University of San Diego. She also holds the title of executive vice president and provost at the University of San Diego, which is a Catholic School in California.

St. Thomas' Board of Trustees is expected to vote on Sullivan this Thursday.

The current president of St. Thomas, Father Dennis Dease, will retire in June after 22 years as the university's leader.