FGCU presidential candidate Ken Harmon, the provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at Kennesaw State University, withdrew from the presidential search Thursday, Jan. 26.

According to an email sent to faculty and staff by committee chair Ken Smith, Harmon accepted an offer to stay at Kennesaw State University.

Harmon was chosen alongside Daniel Heimmermann as one of the finalists in the search. Despite needing three candidates as stated in the Board of Governors regulations, Harmon and Heimmermann were moved forward to the Board of Trustees.

“The members of the Presidential Search Advisory Committee are reviewing new applicants’ materials as we move toward the Jan. 31 date for best consideration,” Smith said.

On Jan. 25, Ron Toll, the provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at FGCU, applied to be the university’s next president. Toll has been the provost and vice president for Academic Affairs since 2008.

The committee’s next meeting is at 8:30 a.m. Monday, Feb. 6 in Cohen Center room 213. At this meeting, the presidential search advisory committee will be selecting candidates to be interviewed on Feb. 15.