Gov. Daniels could be next Purdue president

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INDIANAPOLIS — Purdue University is preparing to name a new president, but neither the university nor Gov. Mitch Daniels' office would confirm reports Tuesday that the Indiana governor will be the institution's next leader.

WISH-TV and The Indianapolis Star, both citing anonymous sources, reported that Purdue's Board of Trustees would vote Thursday to name Daniels to succeed France Cordova as president of the state's second-largest university. Cordova will retire next month after five years at Purdue's helm.

Purdue officials confirmed that the trustees would introduce the new president after their meeting, but spokesman Chris Sigurdson declined to identify any candidates for the job.

"Until they (the board) put a name on the table at that meeting, there is no candidate," Sigurdson said.

Jane Jankowski, a spokeswoman for Daniels, also declined to comment on the reports.

Daniels will step down as governor in January after eight years in office. State law bars him from seeking a third term.

If selected, he would become the 12th president of Purdue, which has about 75,000 students on its West Lafayette and regional campuses.

The 63-year-old Daniels would not be subject to a rule that requires most Purdue administrators to retire at age 65. Trustees vice chairman Thomas Spurgeon said Tuesday that under university policy, newly hired people can stay in their post until they can build a $44,000 annuity. He said that typically takes seven to eight years.

On Tuesday, the university announced it had hired 64-year-old Vicky Carwein to become chancellor of its Fort Wayne campus.

Daniels, who received a bachelor's degree from Princeton University in 1971 and a law degree from Georgetown University in 1979, would become the first president of Purdue without extensive experience administering higher education. But he's no stranger to new endeavors: He had never run for elective office before his first gubernatorial run eight years ago.

His other former jobs include White House budget director, president of Eli Lilly and Co.'s North American Pharmaceutical Operations, chief executive officer of the Hudson Institute conservative think tank, chief of staff to Sen. Richard Lugar and a senior adviser to President Ronald Reagan.

Daniels declined last year to seek the Republican presidential nomination, citing family considerations, but has been mentioned as a possible vice presidential running mate to presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney.

Though an appointment to Purdue would likely end that talk, Indianapolis Republican strategist Mike Murphy said it could give Daniels a strong launch pad should he seek office again later.

"It provides Mitch with a great national platform, a la Woodrow Wilson at Princeton," he said.