NATCHEZ &8212; The search for the Alcorn State University president is on step six of 18.

Monday, the commissioner of the Institutes for Higher Learning will join an Alcorn search committee and a consultant to review applications and discuss expectations.

The meeting, at 10 a.m. in the campus Union Building&8217;s President&8217;s Conference Room, is open to the public.

A new president likely won&8217;t be named until February.

President Clinton Bristow died in August after 11 years with the university.

The process to find a replacement started in September when the IHL selected a committee composed of representatives from across the state to represent the board.

The board search committee then met with members of the Alcorn community to discuss what kind of qualities they hope to have in their next president.

From those meetings, the board wrote a job description. Next, the search advisory committee comprised of Alcorn representatives was formed.

The group is already accepting applications and will continue to do so until December, IHL Director of Media Relations Annie Mitchell said.

The search advisory committee will be responsible for narrowing applications to 10 and making recommendations to the board&8217;s search committee.

The search consultant will do reference and background checks on each candidate.

&8220;Nationwide, it takes about six months,&8221; Mitchell said. &8220;This one is really right on track.&8221;

The search advisory committee includes, Professor Alpha Morris, Professor David Addae, Associate Professor Vivek Bhargava, student Trena Boyd, English Chair Paul Broome, alumnus Ramel Cotton, Student Government President Larry Edward Duncan, Foundation Chair Robert Gage, Staff Senate President Donna Hayden, graduate student Karen Hollowell, Vice President for Student Affairs Laplose Jackson, Assistant Professor Alton B. Johnson, Interim Athletic Director Wiley Jones, alumnus Jewel Lockhart, Assistant Director of Nursing Debra McDonough, Education Chair Doris McGowan, Alumni Association President Freddie Owens, Professor Gerald Ritter, Executive Secretary Karen Shedrick, Dean Edward Vaughn, Dean Steve Wells, Natchez Mayor Phillip West.