The Board of Governors meets Wednesday on the campus of Florida International University. The panel is scheduled to take a formal vote on whether to hire Criser.
A search committee earlier this month recommended Criser as the lone finalist. Criser has been president of AT&T Florida since 2005 and is the son of a former University of Florida president.
Criser is also a major campaign donor and has deep ties to other well-known business organizations.
The chancellor of the state university system is responsible for running the Board of Governors day-to-day operations. Criser is replacing Frank Brogan, who left in September to take a similar job in Pennsylvania.
Source: Associated Press