Penn State University has selected executive search firm Isaacson, Miller to help the school find a replacement for university president Rodney Erickson.

School leaders have said they would like to settle on Erickson's successor by year's end. He plans to retire by June 2014, when his contract expires.

Isaacson, Miller was chosen from a pool of five candidates. It has conducted presidential searches for institutions including Dartmouth, Brown and the University of Pennsylvania.

Trustee presidential selection council chair Karen Peetz said one of the firm's first priorities will be reaching out to various university stakeholders through public meetings, surveys and focus groups.

Erickson took over on November 2011 from Graham Spanier, who departed as president under pressure days after former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky was arrested on child molestation charges.