Cartwright could not be reached for comment on Saturday, but a statement
issued on her behalf by the KSU university communications office was vague
about her intentions.
``With regard to this interest by the University of Arizona, I want to underscore
that no decisions have been made on my part or theirs,'' she said in the
statement. ``At this point in our discussions, I view this as an exploratory
process that is really a tribute to Kent from a high-profile Research I
Institution that seems to share my enthusiasm for our successes and the
bold directions we are taking at Kent.''
Cartwright, who was the first woman to be named president of a public university
in Ohio, has been at the helm at KSU since 1991. In September, she signed
a five-year, $166,000 contract in which she agreed not to search for another
job.
Ronald A. Pizzuti, chairman of the KSU Board of Trustees, said in a statement
issued Saturday that despite Cartwright's contract and her agreement not
to look for another job, he was not surprised to learn of the University
of Arizona's interest in Cartwright.
``While we were delighted that Dr. Cartwright agreed not to pursue other
opportunities when she signed our long-term agreement last fall, we would
be naive to think that other universities would suddenly begin to stop pursuing
someone of her extraordinary talents,'' he said. ``We must understand that
occasionally an opportunity is so important that it must be explored.''
Pizzuti added that the board intends to support Cartwright no matter what
her decision.
In March, Cartwright celebrated her sixth anniversary at KSU, coming to
the college from the University of California at Davis, where she served
as vice chancellor.
``Starting my seventh year sends a message of continuity. Institutions are
able to change if there is good, long, stable leadership,'' she said in
a March 23 Record-Courier article. ``I knew when I came here that it was
a long-term proposition ... and I feel it has been a good fit, a good match.''
In 1995, Cartwright was rumored to be up for president positions at several
colleges, including the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in Urbana,
Ill., Pennsylvania State University and the University of Washington in
Seattle.
Lehigh University President Peter Likins and University of Pennsylvania
Provost Stanley Chodorow are also being considered for the University of
Arizona job and are also scheduled to be interview next week.
The 22-member search committee narrowed its list of applicants to three
after considering more than 100 resumes since mid-February. University of
Arizona President Manuel Pacheco steps down Aug. 1, when he takes over as
president of the four-campus University of Missouri system. His annual salary
was $159,694.
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