The three final candidates for University of Maine System chancellor begin a round of interviews and public sessions this week.

Each candidate is scheduled to spend about four days in Maine, with the visits beginning in Portland and ending in Presque Isle.

The itinerary for each candidate will be the same. It includes a variety of in-person interviews and videoconferences with students, employees, and others from across the state.

After receiving about 40 applications, the search committee narrowed the field to three candidates to potentially oversee the 34,000-student University of Maine System, its seven campuses, its satellites and its outreach centers across the state.

The candidates are:

. James Applegate, vice president for academic affairs at the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education.

. Richard Pattenaude, president of the University of Southern Maine.

. Warren Fox, executive director of the Office of Higher Education, Policy & Planning for the United Arab Emirates’ Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.

Fox began the interview process on Tuesday and will continue through Friday, Jan. 26; Pattenaude will participate from from Jan. 28 to 31; and Applegate from Jan. 29-Feb. 1.

The public is invited to participate by attending a public session or observing a session via university videoconference. Sessions also will be videotaped and made available on the UMS Web site beginning Jan. 30.

To provide feedback, members of the public should contact the search committee by 4:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 2, by mail at Chancellor Search, c/o James Breece, vice chancellor for academic and student affairs, 16 Central St., Bangor 04401 or by e-mail chancellorsearch@maine.edu.

Established in 1968, UMS is the state’s largest educational enterprise with seven campuses located across the state, as well as 11 University College outreach centers and more than 100 interactive distance education sites.

The complete schedule is at www.maine.edu/chancellor/ChancellorSearch.php.