Chodorow passed over for Arizona presidency

The Arizona Board of Regents unanimously agreed to offer the position to Lehigh University President Peter Likins. The Arizona Board of Regents unanimously approved the selection of Lehigh University President Peter Likins as the 18th President of the University of Arizona in Tucson at a teleconference meeting Tuesday afternoon. Likins was chosen from a field of three finalists which included University Provost Stanley Chodorow. He will replace Arizona President Manuel Pacheco, who is leaving to assume leadership of the University of Missouri system. Chodorow -- who was also a recent finalist for top positions at the University of Michigan and University of California at Los Angeles -- could not be reached for comment. A 23-person search committee chose Likins, Chodorow and Kent State University President Carol Cartwright as finalists from a pool of over 100 candidates for the position. After the finalists interviewed with the search committee and meet with Arizona students, faculty and staff last week, the committee forwarded all three names to the regents. But Cartwright withdrew her name from consideration Monday night, citing unfinished business at Kent State. Regent John Munger nominated Likins at the end of Tuesday's meeting. "I believe Peter Likins will be one of the most extraordinary presidents the University of Arizona has ever had," he said. Arizona senior Jonathan Schmitt -- a Regent who also served on the search committee -- said he felt Likins was more willing to reach out to students than the other candidates. "From a student's perspective, Likins is a true communicator," he said. Schmitt and other student members of the search committee conducted a survey which revealed that Arizona students wanted their next president to me more accessible than Pacheco. During the interviews, Schmitt said Likins noted that he spent a week in the dorms and has formed close relationships with many Lehigh students. He said he would like to form similar relationships at Arizona, but added that because Arizona's student population is much larger than Lehigh's, contact will have to be through student leaders. Regent Hank Amos said Likins distinguished himself during the interviews by demonstrating that he can deal effectively not only with faculty and students but also legislators and community leaders. "I think Peter really rose above the other candidates in those meetings," Amos said. When Likins joined the teleconference from Pennsylvania, he said he was excited to have the opportunity to lead an "important national institution." "I'm just pumped. I haven't had such a sense of exhilaration in a long time," he said. "I'm ready to take on a whole new set of challenges and the University of Arizona is the perfect place for me to do that." Likins holds a bachelor's degree in civil engineering and a doctorate in engineering mechanics from Stanford University and a master's degree in civil engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Before coming to Lehigh in 1982, Likins served as Provost of Columbia University, where he was also Dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science.