Stauffer named SUU interim president

PRICE — Gregory Stauffer will serve as the interim president of Southern Utah University in Cedar City while state higher education leaders continue the search for a permanent leader for the school, Board of Regents chairman Nolan Karras announced Friday.

Stauffer will take over as head of the school in May after current President Steven Bennion leaves the post to head up the New York City South Mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Stauffer has served as SUU's vice president for administrative and financial services since 1995.

"The biggest goal is to keep the momentum we have right now going," said Stauffer, who also served as chief fiscal officer at Peru State College in Nebraska and assistant vice president at Washburn University, Topeka, Kan. "We have to keep progressing during this transition period."

Karras also announced a 20-member search committee that will help select the new president.