An advisory committee of professors, alumni and others has been appointed to help with the search for the next president of Alcorn State University.

The group will include Dr. David Addae, a Vicksburg native and professor of advanced technologies and faculty senate president; Dr. Gerald Ritter, a Vicksburg native and professor of education and psychology; Ramel Cotton, a Vicksburg attorney who practices in Jackson; Dr. Paul Broome of Port Gibson, department chair in English and foreign languages; Robert Gage, a Port Gibson banker, who is ASU Foundation Chair; and Karen Shedrick of Port Gibson, executive secretary and administrative assistant to the president.

The committee is to work with the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning in reviewing resumes and applications. The IHL board, however, will make the decision on who will fill the position formerly held by Dr. Clinton Bristow Jr., who died Aug. 19 at age 57.

Bristow had been president of Alcorn for 11 years. Dr. Malvin Williams, Alcorn’s vice president for academics from July 1976 until June 2005, has since served as interim president.

&#8220Alcorn State’s Search Advisory Committee represents a comprehensive group of university stakeholders,” said Commissioner of Higher Education Dr. Thomas C. Meredith in a news release. &#8220I am confident their recommendations will ensure the best possible person is hired as the next president of Alcorn State University.”

As in replacing former Mississippi State University President Charles Lee earlier this year and as planned for replacing University of Southern Mississippi President Shelby Thames, the IHL will not release names of applicants to anyone not directly involved in the hiring process.

Other committee members are: