LARAMIE, Wyo. (AP) — The University of Wyoming Board of Trustees hopes to select its next permanent president by early March.

The Casper Star-Tribune reports that the board on Wednesday approved a tentative hiring timeline that board chairman Dave True says can be tweaked if necessary.

According to the timeline, the top candidate will receive an offer in the first week of March. The board has previously said it wants the new president to take office by July 1.

The school has been without a permanent president since this summer, when the trustees allowed Laurie Nichols' contract to expire for reasons that haven't been publicly explained.

Neil Theobald is serving as the school's interim president.

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