Chodorow: not seeking UCLA job

The Sacramento Bee reported Penn's provost was among the finalists for the UCLA chancellor position. Despite reports published in The Sacramento Bee last Saturday, Provost Stanley Chodorow denied applying for the position of chancellor at the University of California, Los Angeles. The Bee article reported that Chodorow was among six finalists for the position, including UCLA Law School Dean Susan Prager, UCLA Medical School Dean Gerald Levey, Lehigh University President Peter Likins, Ohio State Provost Richard Sisson and Stanford Provost Condoleezza Rice. But Chodorow said he didn't apply for the position, describing the story as speculative. He added that he would not comment on "rumors about who is a candidate for what." Chodorow served as associate vice chancellor of University of California, San Diego while that campus was under the direction of Richard Atkinson, current president of the UC system. The provost is still a close friend of Atkinson's, according to UCLA spokesperson Terry Colvin. The UCLA Daily Bruin ran a short list of the candidates yesterday which did not include Chodorow. The Bruin's list provided a top tier of candidates -- Prager, Rice, Harvard Provost Albert Carnesale and University of Florida President John Lombardi. The Bruin also described a reserve list, in case none of the top four choices accepts the position. This list included Levey, Likins, Vice Chancellor and UC Berkley Provost Carol Christ, UC San Diego School of Engineering Dean Robert Conn, University of Michigan Vice Provost for Research Neal Homer and UC Riverside Chancellor Raymond Orbach. Daily Bruin Reporter Patrick Kerkstra -- the author of the piece --Esaid the Bee story was mistaken about Chodorow's selection, adding that he is "pretty confident" that his sources are correct. "I have absolutely no indication that [Chodorow] is on the finalist list," Kerkstra said. "It is entirely plausible that he was considered, especially in light of his connection with [UCLA]." Although Colvin wouldn't name any of the applicants, he said there is no short list of candidates. "I can't confirm Stanley Chodorow being on that list because there is no list," Colvin said. He added that it would be unlikely that the Bee and Bruin would have access to applicant information, since no one but Atkinson is aware of the list. The new chancellor will be selected by Atkinson and approved by the Board of Regents. A committee will evaluate a list of choices from the president, but it will not be given a full list of applicants or made aware of any recommendations outside its own. The president may decide to choose a chancellor who is not among the list given to the advisory committee, Colvin said. Despite Chodorow's and Colvin's denials, Lisa Lapin, education editor for the Bee, stood by the story. "The information came from members of the search committee and a person in a position to know in higher ed," Lapin said. She added that Chodorow's appearance on the candidates list does not mean he applied for the position, since such lists usually combine actual applicants and the search committee's wish list. The UC system is currently searching for two new chancellors -- one for UCLA and one for UC Berkley. UCLA is the largest campus in the system. Kerkstra said the search committee will interview three to five candidates this month. The committee members will then vote individually for their top choice, which Atkinson will take into account when making his decision. The Board of Regents is expected to vote on Atkinson's recommendation at its March 20-21 meeting.