A search committee at West Virginia University has recommended that interim President E. Gordon Gee get the job permanently.
The committee made the recommendation Friday during an emergency meeting. The recommendation now goes to the WVU Board of Governors. After President Jim Clements announced in November he was leaving for Clemson, the Board of Governors said the interim president wouldn't be in line to take over full time. But the search committee did an about-face Friday. The 70-year-old Gee also served as WVU president from 1981 to 1985. He did two stints as Ohio State's president before retiring last summer after his remarks about Roman Catholics and Southeastern Conference schools went public. Board of Governors Chairman James W. Dailey says Gee is "hands down" the best candidate for the job.