A consultant will give Southeast Missouri State University regents guidance in their search for a new university president.

At the same time, the consultant, Allan Ostar, hopes to land a job for his academic search firm when he meets with the regents today.

Ostar represents Academic Search Consultation Service, a non-profit organization in Washington, D.C. Ostar arrived in Cape Girardeau Monday, met briefly with the regents, and then embarked on a series of meetings with people on campus.

Among those Ostar interviewed were administrators, students, faculty and alumni.

The regents will meet today at 3 p.m. to hear what Ostar learned during his meetings. The regents also will meet in behind closed doors to discuss the possibility of naming an interim university president.

"We want to do the best possible job," said Donald L. Harrison, president of the Board of Regents. "We think we need outside professional help."

Harrison said if the firm is hired, local people might still be considered for the university presidency. "Nobody is in or out at this point," he said. "Everyone is on an even playing field."

University president Dr. Kala Stroup will leave Southeast at the end of August to become Missouri commissioner of higher education.

Before going to work for Academic Search Consultation Service four years ago, Ostar worked 26 years as president of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, a group of about 400 universities similar to Southeast.

Ostar said the soonest regents could expect to name a new president is five months, and the president might not start work for over for a year.

If Ostar's firm is selected, he and an assistant would be back at Southeast to spend two days talking with various groups about what they see for Southeast's future. That information would be forwarded to the university's own search committee.

The key to a successful search, Ostar said, is first determining the direction of the university and then picking someone to carry that out.

Ostar said: "The best candidates are not out looking for a job. They haven't gotten their friends to recommend them. The best candidates come forward once you know about the goals of the institution."