Hackney up for top NEH post

President Sheldon Hackney is being considered as a candidate for chairmanship of the National Endowment for the Humanities, he and other University officials said last night. Hackney said he knew his name "was being talked about," but he said he has not been contacted by members of the Clinton administration regarding the possible appointment. "My name was among those being checked," said Hackney, who has been the chief administrator of the University for 12 years. "[But that] doesn't mean a great deal." Finance Professor Morris Mendelson said yesterday that, earlier in the day, he had been questioned about Hackney by John Hammer, director of the National Humanities Alliance. The National Humanities Alliance is an umbrella organization of humanities groups that lobbies Congress on behalf of its members, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education. Mendelson said he was told Hackney is "one of the people being seriously considered" for the NEH post. He said he told Hammer that Hackney would be a good choice for the leadership role. "[Hackney's] heart is in the right place," Mendelson said. Hackney said he too has been in contact with "Washington associations who are consulted in such matters" as recently as Wednesday. If Hackney leaves the University, he will be the third of the University's top three administrators to resign within the past five months. Executive Vice President Marna Whittington left her position in September and Provost Michael Aiken announced last week that he will leave the University in June. While the president said he is "flattered" that his name is being considered by the White House, he added, "I haven't had time to think about it." The NEH -- the largest single supporter of the humanities -- has an annual agency budget of more than $177 million. Hackney said he has "no expectations" about the NEH job right now and said it is still too early to speculate. Hackney added that he has heard he is also being considered for other Washington posts, but he said he did not know which ones off hand. "I'm on the outskirts of rumor circuits," he said. Hackney said that although he has recently been in contact with members of the new administration, he said his White House business involved the University and not any personal issues.