DICKINSON (AP) - A search committee has named three finalists for the Dickinson State University presidency.

The three are Joseph Bascuas, a former president of Medaille College, a private college in western New York; Richard McCallum, vice president for academic affairs at Missouri Southern State University and Bruce Speck, provost and vice president for academic and student affairs at Austin Peay State University in Tennessee.

Dickinson State President Lee Vickers plans to retire at the end of the calendar year.

Seventeen people initially applied to succeed him. Six candidates were brought to campus for interviews this month.

The three finalists are to be interviewed by the state Board of Higher Education on Dec. 5. The board hopes to hire Vickers' successor before Christmas.