“It’s an interview, so they’re looking closely at me to see if I am the right fit,” Wilcox said, adding he looks forward to showing what MSU means to him after spending the past several years at the university.

Wilcox has been provost since 2005 and also received his undergraduate degree from MSU.

Wilcox said he was nominated for the UH Manoa position sometime last fall, which led him to explore the university more closely. Since then, he said he has found UH Manoa to be vibrant and richly diverse in human capital, including research initiatives.

“I love Michigan State. I’ve spent the greatest parts of my life here, but at the same time, I have to keep my eyes open to other opportunities, and this one looks to be pretty special,” he said. “So we’ll see what happens.”

The search for a chancellor at UH Manoa was initiated after the current chancellor intended to return to a faculty appointment at the school of medicine at the end of this academic year, said Lynne Waters, associate vice president for external affairs and university relations at UH in an email.

The four finalists across the continental U.S. currently serve as two provosts, a chancellor and dean, and each have been invited to campus this month at varying times.

The search committee is expected to meet with each person, and the university president is expected to submit her recommendation to the Board of Regents for consideration as early as May, according to the UH Manoa website.

Wilcox and other candidates’ trip to the island will be paid for by UH Manoa, Waters said.

“The start date will be negotiated once the applicant is selected, but the chancellorship will be vacant as of the end of this academic year,” she said.

Overall, the process itself and working with UH Manoa officials has been pretty straightforward, and they’ve have been impressed with MSU, Wilcox said.

Should Wilcox be offered and accept the chancellor position, MSU officials should look for a provost that continues to streamline paths toward getting a degree in four years, said Jonathan Woo, a mechanical engineering junior.

“I need 128 credits to graduate, and that seems more than other majors,” Woo said. “Weed out the classes I don’t need … (to make room) for classes I need for a job.”

Bill Beekman, secretary to the Board of Trustees, could not be reached for comment regarding how Wilcox’s position could be filled.