The Associated Press

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - More than 150 candidates have been contacted by the search firm helping Indiana University find a new president.

University trustees who were updated on the search Friday also approved former President Myles Brand's request for an unpaid six-year leave of absence.

Brand became head of the Indianapolis-based National Collegiate Athletic Association last month, and his wife, Peg Brand, remains a professor of gender studies and philosophy at IU in Bloomington.

Trustees approved the request as a courtesy to Brad for his eight years as president, university spokesman Bill Stephan said. The move is not expected to cost the university anything.

"He has expressed an interest in returning to the institution, particularly with respect to teaching," Stephan said.

Trustees were told Friday that the vast majority of people contacted so far in the search for Brand's replacement are middle-aged men who are presidents or chancellors of public or private universities.

Only 25 of the 152 people contacted so far are women.

A new president is expected to be named by July 1 from among five to seven finalists trustees can interview beginning in May.

"We're making great progress," said trustee Steve Ferguson, who heads the search committee.

IU hired Baker-Parker Inc., an Atlanta-based consulting firm, to help conduct the search.

IU faculty, staff and students provided the firm with more than 100 names of possible candidates.

Among those initially contacted, about 80 have expressed an interest in heading the eight-campus system, Ferguson said.

Jerry Baker, the consultant handling the search, said he expects to contact at least 300 people. IU is paying Baker $90,000 to conduct the search, plus expenses expected to total about $10,000.

While the search is being conducted, former Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis Chancellor Gerald Bepko is serving as interim president.