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  Student leaders want an undergraduate added to the 13 member committee because the UI Student Government is splitting into separate groups that represent undergraduate and graduate students. A graduate student is the lone student on the search committee.

  Committee Chairman David Johnsen, UI College of Dentistry dean, said he will meet with student leaders but doesn’t think the committee would want to ask the regents to add another member now. Sarah Vigmostad, the UI graduate student on the committee, said she thinks adding an undergraduate would be helpful because the undergraduate and graduate groups have diverse concerns. If that’s not possible, she suggested forming a student advisory group. Several other members said an addition to the search committee could hinder momentum and raise issues with other campus groups, such as University Hospitals and Carver College of Medicine faculty and staff. ‘‘It’s a problematic issue and we will never solve it to everyone’s satisfaction,’’ English professor Ed Folsom said.

  Another concern committee members said they’ve heard is that a failed first presidential search will keep qualified candidates away. This is the second committee to seek a successor to David Skorton, who left the UI in June. The first search stalled Nov. 17 when the regents voted to reject four candidates and disband that committee.

  Committee members said they should address problems with the first search in their mission statement, while also stressing that good candidates remain in the mix. Nat Sutton, a consultant from the Heidrick & Struggles search firm, agreed.

  ‘‘We have to be prepared to deal with the past search . . . questions will come up,’’ he said. ‘‘Everybody needs to be on the same page.’’

  Johnsen said he already has a list into the double digits of good candidates, including some presidents and provosts.