Sarah Mangelsdorf, dean of Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, is a candidate to be provost of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the school’s search committee announced this month.

Mangelsdorf is one of four finalists for the position. UW-Madison’s chancellor Rebecca Blank is expected to make a final decision sometime in April, so the new provost can assume the role for the 2014-15 academic year, UW-Madison spokesman John Lucas said.

Mangelsdorf visited the Madison campus last week to give a public presentation to the university’s community.

“Everywhere I go I meet Wisconsin alums … I see more Wisconsin alums at Northwestern-Wisconsin athletic events,” she said during her presentation. “There are many more Badgers filling up our football stadium, our basketball arena.”

Each finalist visited campus and gave a presentation during March to give members of the UW-Madison community the opportunity to give feedback to the chancellor, Lucas said.

A 17-person committee began the search process for a new provost in November. UW-Madison’s new provost will succeed provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs Paul DeLuca, Jr., who announced his retirement from the position in June.

Northwestern University spokesman Al Cubbage declined to comment.

Rebecca Savransky contributed reporting.

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