Bollinger in top 3 for Harvard post

From staff and wire reports

University President Lee Bollinger as one of the top three candidates for the presidency at Harvard University, according to a published report.

The Boston Globe reported yesterday that Bollinger made the cut along with Harvard Provost Harvey Fineberg and former U.S. Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers.

According to the article, the search committee has not ruled out any other finalists. Two individuals, who spoke to the Globe on the condition of anonymity, said the committee could make a decision on a new president by mid- to late February.

Harvard spokesman Joe Wrinn couldn't confirm or deny those dates but said that was the information which "surprised me most" from the Globe's report.

He added that the search committee hopes to select a new president by the time current Harvard President Neil Rudenstine relinquishes his title in late June.

"But we're not going to let time dictate the quality of the candidates," Wrinn said. "We're still looking for the best possible person for the job."

Wrinn said Bollinger shares Rudenstine's views on diversity and affirmative action with Rudenstine, saying that they've been "professional associates" and have had many conversations on the issue.

When his name appeared as a possible candidate among 30 to 40 others, Bollinger said he was flattered, adding that he continues to be happy with his work at the University.

After yesterday's, University spokeswoman Julie Peterson said Bollinger has nothing to add beyond his previous statement.

Globe sources say Bollinger has interviewed for the position twice.

Wrinn said it is crucial to keep the search as low-profile as possible.

"The people we're looking for tend to be sitting in very interesting jobs, and a lot of people don't want to read in a newspaper about them being considered for a different job," Wrinn said. "If the process is not confidential, it can turn potential candidates away."

Unlike the other candidates, Bollinger has only one significant tie to Harvard - his daughter Carey, a recent graduate of the university.

Bollinger has been president of the University of Michigan since 1997, and before that was provost of Dartmouth College from 1994 to 1996.

He was dean of the University's Law School for seven years.

Fineberg became provost at Harvard in 1996 after 13 years as dean of Harvard's Graduate School of Public Health.

He holds degrees from Harvard College,

Harvard Medical School and the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard.

Summers is a prominent economist and former Harvard professor, and, according to the Globe, has extensive ties among people close to the search committee and in fund-raising circles nationwide.

Wrinn said the search has scoured the world for the last six months and included mailings to all living alumni and advertisements in major newspapers asking for candidate nominations.

The nine-person committee "meets regularly, reads all the letters, includes a small internal staff and has fanned out across our campus and the country" for informal interviews with candidates and people who can recommend candidates, Wrinn said.

A source told the Globe that other finalists who could still be considered by the search committee include former National Institute of Health Chief Harold Varmus, Harvard Business School Dean Kim Clark, Stanford University Law School Dean Kathleen Sullivan and Nan Keohane, president of Duke University.