Report: Condoleezza Rice Contacted by Presidential Search Committee, Declines Offer

According to this report by the Philadelphia Inquirer, Rice, now a professor at Stanford University, was contacted by Penn State’s presidential search committee about taking on the job. Her office declined Penn State’s advances, according to this statement.

“We received a request about this position through a search firm,” said Georgia Godfrey, Rice’s chief of staff, to the Inquirer. “Our office declined on her behalf since she intends to remain at Stanford. Penn State is a fine institution and Dr. Rice wishes the search committee the very best.”

Rice served as the U.S. Secretary of State under President George W. Bush from 2005 to 2009 — the first female African American to hold that position. Rice was also a national security advisor for the Bush administration from 2001 to 2005.

Penn State, of course, declined comment to the Inquirer, citing confidentiality.

The university’s presidential search has been making headlines recently. The trustees were set to announce the next Penn State president at a public meeting last Friday, but plans quickly unraveled as the reported candidate, David Smith, was forced to resign from his position at SUNY Upstate under allegations of financial dishonesty.

There is currently no announced timetable for selecting Rodney Erickson’s successor, although President Erickson intends to retire in June 2014.

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