HOUSTON -- The top finalist named to fill the post as new president of Texas Southern University met with the media on Monday, KPRC Local 2 reported.

On Friday, the TSU Board of Trustees chose Dr. John Rudley as its top choice.

Rudley is the interim UH president, a CPA and former TSU chief financial officer.

He knows there's a tough job ahead.

"We must start with understanding. We are dealing with a crisis management situation currently at Texas Southern," Rudley said. "We must restore fiscal credibility in administration. We must restore credibility to decision-making at Texas Southern University. And with a new board and new president, I believe we can accomplish both."

Rudley said the Board of Regents would be his partners.

The board expects to hire him in three weeks.

"Once in a while you're faced with the opportunity to do some great things. I see Texas Southern as a tall order. But it's an opportunity people are now presented. It's an opportunity for me to really add value to TSU," Rudley said.

"We thought that Dr. Rudley brought the most qualifications to the table given his background in higher education and in particular, his experience with higher education finance given the current circumstances at the university, and we just thought that he was the best choice," said Glenn Lewis, the board chair.

The school has been without a permanent president for more than a year. J. Timothy Boddie Jr. is the interim president.

Former TSU President Priscilla Slade is awaiting retrial. Her trial on charges of misusing public money ended in a mistrial last year.