Levine, Education School Prof., Finalist for Top Job at American U.

Arthur E. Levine, chair of the University's graduate program in higher education, is one of three finalists being considered for the presidency of American University, according to that university's student newspaper.

The two other finalists for the position are Richard Breslin, president of Drexel University in Philadelphia, and Scott Cowen, dean of the business school at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, the American University Eagle reported this week.

Levine is a respected scholar in the areas of curriculum development and in the history of higher education.

Before coming to Harvard, Levine spent several years as a senior fellow at the Carnegie Council on Policy Studies in Higher Education and two years as a senior fellow at the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching in Washington D.C.

Levine also served eight years as president of Bradford College in Massachusetts.

At Harvard's Graduate School of Education, Levine works in the area of Administration, Planning and Social Policy within which he specializes in higher education.

Levine met with six committees of students, faculty and staff at American University earlier this week. The six committees have been formed to assist American's presidential search committee.

"The candidates met with a number of people on campus to see how they regard the university as a whole," said Basil P. Corin, chair of undergraduate admissions at American and a member of one of the six committees.

The curriculum, the budget of the university, faculty governance and student governance were some of the issues discussed with the candidates, Corin said.

Several committee members said they were not satisfied with the search process. Some criticized the fact that all three finalists are white males, have unimpressive fundraising records and are not from universities that draw students from a national market.

But others defended the process.

"Our charge was not to bring in finalists in any particular group. Our charge was to bring in the best candidates," said William Jacobs, chair of the presidential search committee.

The presidential search commit- tee, which consists of several trustees, onestudent, one staff member and two faculty members,will recommend one of the three candidates to thefull board of trustees by Christmas Day.

Levine could not be reached for commentyesterday

Levine could not be reached for commentyesterday