By Kyeland Jackson —

A contestant for the top spot at U of L may come from the Pan-African studies department.

Chair Ricky Jones submitted his name as a candidate for U of L’s president via Twitter on Nov. 20. In the tweet, Jones promised transparency.

“I don’t know how to do it formally because the process is a secret,” Jones’ tweet said. “My team and I will bring truth, transparency, and make U of L great again.”

Jones has vocally criticized the university and its administrators, questioning the process of appointing the acting athletic director calling for the removal of the confederate statue on campus.

The university’s board of trustees closed details of the presidential search shortly after hiring a search firm, keeping candidates’ names and information secret. Jones criticized the closed search in an interview with the Cardinal, comparing the administration to a totalitarian regime.

“The process of choosing a president of a public university, which belongs to the people, should not be private or secret. It is fundamentally undemocratic,” Jones said. “This is not Putin’s Russia … With the state of our university and all that it’s been through, we need all the truth, trust and transparency as possible.”

Faculty have also decried the closed search, asking Board Chair David Grissom to open details to the public. Grissom allayed concerns, promising listening tours for faculty and constituents to voice their concerns and criteria for a new president.

But the board hasn’t approved dates for those tours and the soft deadline to apply for the president’s position is Dec. 1. It’s unclear how many candidates are vying for the position because it’s closed, but current Interim President Greg Postel said he has applied.

This story will be updated.

File Photo / The Louisville Cardinal