Provost John Dunn, the university's second ranking administrator, is one of six finalists for the chancellor post at the main campus of Arkansas State University.

Dunn, 60, said he will interview for the position at the Jonesboro, Ark., campus on Sept. 12-13. He submitted his application on Wednesday, according to the ASU Web site.

"I'm flattered that they have invited me there," said Dunn, who became provost and vice chancellor in 2002.

Dunn said search committee members came to SIUC to meet with him on July 7, followed by a visit from ASU President Les Wyatt later that month.

ASU spokesman Tom Moore said the school's Board of Trustees decided to begin searching for a chancellor in December 2005. Previously, Wyatt had served as president and campus chancellor. There are six other campus in the ASU system.

Salary for the position has not been decided, Moore said.

The five other candidates are interviewing in Jonesboro this month. Moore said Wyatt could make a recommendation as early as Sept. 26 during the next Board of Trustees meeting. No deadline has been set for the hire.

Jonesboro is the main campus for the ASU system, which includes six other campuses across the state, according to the school's Web site. ASU in Jonesboro is considered a doctoral research institution with a fulltime enrollment of about 8,900 students.

Chancellor candidates running against Dunn include John Folkins, provost and vice president for academic affairs at Bowling Green University in Ohio; Kaylene Gebert, executive vice president and provost at Middle Tennessee State University; Thomas Harden, president of Clayton State University in Georgia; Norval Pohl, past president of the University of North Texas; and Robert Potts, past chancellor of North Dakota University.

Dunn interviewed for the presidency of Kennesaw State University in Georgia earlier this year, but was not offered the position. He said he has been contacted by other universities since then, but would not say which ones. Dunn said he received four e-mails on Friday from universities contacting him about applying for positions.

"One of the things that is a compliment to the university is that others are interested in the quality of our institution and the quality of our people," Dunn said.

Chancellor Walter Wendler said he was not surprised Dunn was contacted for the ASU position, and said his possible departure would be a big loss for SIUC.

In July, Dunn's office took control of enrollment management from Larry Dietz, vice chancellor for Student Affairs, during a massive administrative overhaul.

Dunn is overseeing searches and interviews for deans in the College of Liberal Arts, College of Education and Human Services, and College of Science. Fall semester enrollment numbers, which Dunn said this summer appeared to be on the decline from last year, should be released this week.

"Dr. Dunn's played an important role in a lot of things," Wendler said. "His leaving would create quite a gap here at SIU in Carbondale."