Fewer Than 10 Now Being Considered to Succeed Peltason as UC President

With University of California President Jack W. Peltason’s retirement less than five months away, fewer than 10 candidates are being considered to succeed him, a university official said Friday.

UC Regent Roy T. Brophy told fellow regents that during the past four months the presidential search team has consulted students, staff, administrators, laboratory directors and former UC presidents to assess what qualities are needed in the university’s next leader.

Brophy, who is chairing the nine-member search committee, said initial nominations and applications totaled about 160. An academic advisory committee helped winnow that list down to 40--a process that was made easier, Brophy said, by the fact that “there are many unqualified applicants who are very obvious upon reading their vitaes.”

After a series of meetings and telephone conference calls, that list was recently pared down to fewer than 10. Brophy said an international search firm has been retained to help complete the process.

Brophy warned his colleagues that confidentiality is essential to attract quality candidates to the interview process. The search should be complete in a few weeks, he said.