The University of Tennessee system presidential search sped up this week, with the Search Advisory Council narrowing a pool of 47 candidates to just 12 on Wednesday.

Dr. James Byford, dean of the College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, was among the 35 eliminated.

One of the remaining 12 candidates, Dr. Kenneth Olden, was not admitted to UT in the 1950s because he is black.

The search began in November, following the departure of Dr. John Shumaker from office in scandal last August.

Dr. Margaret Perry, chancellor of UTM from 1986 to 1998, serves as the executive director of the Presidential Search.

The process, including interviews, discussion and voting, is open to public comment and is webcast at http://oit.utk.edu/dst/webevents.html.

The presidential position will pay up to $500,000.

The remaining 12 candidates are:

• Dr. Jerry W. Askew, Senior Vice President for Advancement and Community Development, St. Mary’s Health System • Dr. Jack O. Burns, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Research, University of Colorado System • Dr. Brady Deaton, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, University of Missouri-Columbia • Dr. William E. Evans, Scientific Director and Executive Vice President St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital • Tom Galligan, Jr., Dean and Elvin E. Overton Distinguished Professor of Law, The University of Tennessee College of Law • Dr. Kermit Hall, President and Professor of History, Utah State University • Dr. Karen Hitchcock, President, State University of New York at Albany • Dr. Thomas Meredith, Chancellor, University System of Georgia • Dr. Kenneth Olden, Director, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, and Director, National Toxicology Program • Dr. John Peters, President, Northern Illinois University • Dr. John Petersen, Chancellor and Provost for University Affairs, University of Connecticut • Dr. Bill W. Stacy, Chancellor, The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga