Harvard provost accepts UCLA chancellor position

Harvard University Provost Albert Carnesale accepted the position of Chancellor of the University of California at Los Angeles yesterday afternoon. The system's Board of Regents approved UC President Richard Atkinson's recommendation to appoint Carnesale as chancellor of its largest campus in a teleconference at noon Pacific Standard Time. Carnesale will begin his duties in July, marking the end of current Chancellor Charles Young's 28-year tenure at UCLA. Previous reports had indicated that Penn Provost Stanley Chodorow was a top contender for the position. UCLA Medical School Dean Gerald Levey and UCLA Law School Dean Susan Prager were also considered for the job. After refusing to comment on the issue for the past week, Chodorow admitted yesterday that he had agreed to "talk" with the UCLA search committee. Chodorow added that he is proud to be working at Penn and is not looking for another job. "I am neither looking for a position at another university nor do I apply for jobs," he said. "As Penn's provost, I occupy a prominent position in higher education, and schools looking for presidents do call." Chodorow added that he agreed to talk with officials at UCLA and the University of Michigan -- which considered him for their presidency last November -- since both are "institutions of such distinction." UCLA administrators said they are excited about the selection of Carnesale, although none had met him yet. Executive Vice Chancellor Charles Kennel -- who will serve directly under the new chancellor -- said he was impressed by Carnesale's level of experience. "We're all delighted. He's got a wonderful background," Kennel said. "During [Harvard President Neil] Rudinstine's illness a while back, he took over as president and held three jobs at once --Epresident, provost and dean of the Kennedy School of Government. This gives us a great deal of confidence that he can take UCLA on," he added. UCLA College of Letters and Sciences Provost Brian Copenhaver also said he's pleased with Carnesale's selection. "I think that the president, the Regents and the search committee are to be congratulated on a superb choice," Copenhaver said. "I know him by reputation only, and that reputation is superb." But many UCLA administrators said they know Chodorow from his days as a UC San Diego dean and associate vice chancellor and would have been pleased to work with him. "I have met him, and I would have been delighted if he had been selected," UCLA College of Letters and Sciences Dean of Humanities Pauline Yu said. Copenhaver said the choice was a difficult one for Atkinson. "You are talking about competition at the highest level," he said. "In the end you can have a lot of superb people -- including the two internal candidates. The president had a difficult choice, and I think he made a superb one. I also would have thought he made a superb choice if he chose Stan." Penn administrators said they were pleased that Chodorow would not be leaving. "We need the Provost's leadership as much as ever on the critical academic priorities of Penn's Agenda for Excellence, and we look forward to that continuing leadership," Penn President Judith Rodin said. Penn Associate Vice Provost for University Life Larry Moneta said he would not speculate about the Provost actively seeking a new job or the fact that he has been passed over for two presidencies. "I think it is a remarkable compliment that two of the finest institutions in the world have expressed interest in our provost," Moneta said. "I think whether he is actively seeking or not, it's the nature of higher education that the best people become candidates for the most significant positions." In a prepared statement yesterday, Carnesale said he is excited to serve as chancellor of UCLA, although he expressed a desire to finish out his time at Harvard productively. "I'm honored and excited by the prospect of leading UCLA," he said. "If my time at UCLA brings me anything resembling the personal satisfaction that I've gotten in my 23 years as a member of the Harvard community, I will consider myself extremely fortunate."

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