MADISON, Wis. -- The last of the four finalists to become the next University of Wisconsin-Madison chancellor met with the public Wednesday.

Rebecca Blank, the former dean at the Gerald Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan, answered questions Thursday at the Memorial Union.

Blank, the only candidate without UW ties, outlined her desire to run the school.

"It's the type of place that really offers opportunities for leadership on all of those fronts, on the leadership front, in terms of encouraging research and in terms of working, on what you guys call the "Wisconsin Idea," the outreach of the university to the state. That's an exciting prospect," Blank said.

Earlier this week, public receptions were held for the other three finalists: Gary Sandefur, the dean of the UW's College of Letters and Science; Carolyn "Biddy" Martin, provost of Cornell University in New York; and R. Timothy Mulcahy, vice president for research at the University of Minnesota.

UW-Madison is taking feedback on the four finalists until Monday.

A decision is expected by June 2.