The "wide net" that has been referenced regarding the search for the next NCAA president has been cast. With just a little more than six months to go before current NCAA President Cedric W. Dempsey ends his term as the Association's third CEO, the NCAA search committee has followed its plan to ensure that a diverse pool of qualified candidates is identified.

That plan was accelerated in April when Baker-Parker and Associates, a search firm known for its success in identifying and placing diverse candidates in higher education, was approved by the NCAA Executive Committee to help find Dempsey's successor.

Since then, Baker-Parker -- with the help of more than 200 NCAA membership representatives and coaching association representatives -- has crafted a "position specification," or job description, that outlines goals and defines characteristics and values that the successful candidate must embrace in order to lead the NCAA into the future.

In May, Baker-Parker began placing advertisements for the position in publications such as The NCAA News, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education, Black Issues in Higher Education, and Women in Higher Education.

In addition, Baker-Parker sought recommendations from more than 100 college presidents who have a personal working relationship with the firm, as well as from more than 90 presidents of historically black colleges. Baker-Parker also queried more than 100 influential black Americans asking for nominations or personal interest.

The firm also probed executives of several business groups, including:

Top executives at Fortune 200 companies. More than 300 letters were mailed May 30.

Sports-related companies, including Reebok International, Nike and Converse Inc. Fifty letters were mailed June 4.

The top national associations, such as the American Association of Retired Persons, U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Motion Picture Association of America. About 40 letters were sent to association heads June 4.

The "50 Most Powerful Women in Business," according to Fortune magazine, including senior executives at Hewlett-Packard, Mirant, Kraft Foods and AT&T. Letters were mailed June 4.

Finally, a cover letter and the position specification were e-mailed to about 5,000 NCAA membership representatives June 11.

"It's important to call attention to the breadth and inclusivity of the search," said University of Tulsa President Bob Lawless, who as chair of the NCAA Executive Committee chairs the NCAA search committee.

Lawless is joined on the search committee by Robert Hemenway, chancellor of the University of Kansas; Patricia Cormier, president of Longwood University; Bette Landman, president of Arcadia University; and Milton Gordon, president of California State University, Fullerton.

"We are seeking the best individual to lead the NCAA into the future, and we don't want to limit ourselves in any fashion in that endeavor," Lawless said.

The committee also wants to ensure that the process of selecting the NCAA's next president is as open as possible. Lawless said while many people in these cases assume secrets are being kept, the committee wants to dispel that notion.

The search committee chair also said he expects the wide net that has been cast to attract a diverse candidate pool, which has been a desired outcome since the process began.

"The group we cull out from the larger pool will be a pretty diverse group. It won't be all university presidents, all athletics directors or all conference commissioners," Lawless said. "While we won't be using a quota system, I do hope the search firm with its expertise and history will be able to identify people with some different experiences who would be great candidates.

"I want to reiterate that we are casting as wide a net as we can cast."

Baker-Parker expects to have identified as many as 15 of the best-qualified candidates by August. The Executive Committee will interview the top three candidates in October and make a final announcement by November 1.