Two people will compete to lead the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system.

MnSCU's governing board on Monday named a pair of finalists for the top job in the public system. They are:

The two will be publicly interviewed Tuesday and Wednesday. The higher education system's Board of Trustees plans to make its final pick Wednesday.

A search committee had recommended four semi-finalists and one "alternate" to the board. Two of those semi-finalists and the alternate declined to become part of the public pool.

That worried trustee James Van Houten, he said, but after seeing the two candidates who were willing to become public finalists, "I am no longer concerned."

MnSCU is looking to replace Chancellor James McCormick, who is stepping down this summer after a decade at the post.

His replacement comes at a critical time for the massive public system. He or she will confront falling state funding, maxed-out tuition and a swelling number of students.

"We need a transformational leader," board chair Scott Thiss has said. "I think all options are on the table."

Comprising seven state universities and 25 community and technical colleges on 54 campuses, MnSCU educates more than half of the state's undergraduates.