Wilson Considered For Presidency Of U. of Chicago

James O. Wilson, Shattuck Professor of Government, is currently being considered for the presidency of the University of Chicago, sources said yesterday.

Wilson conceded yesterday that numerous people have told him that his name is on the list of people under consideration by the special search committee that has been looking for a president since Edward Levi resigned that post to become Attorney General four months ago.

The government professor--who received his graduate education at Chicago--said, however, that he presently has "no inclinations to leave" the Harvard community.

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"It is far more fun to be a professor than a dean or a college president," Wilson said. But, he added, he would certainly consider an offer "as important as that."

Wilson said that he has received no official word that he is a contender for the post, nor any unofficial word on the seriousness with which his name is being mentioned.

I firmly believe in not crossing bridges before I come to them." Wilson said, "and I probably won't cross that one if I do."

Charles U. Daly, vice president for government and community affairs and a former vice president of the University of Chicago, said yesterday he is aware that Wilson is a candidate, for the post, and that he "assumes that he is being considered very seriously."

Daly said that he thought the University of Chicago would be "very very lucks to get [Wilson] because he is a person of a quality to match Ed Levi and that is a very high quality indeed."

Members of the search committee were unavailable for comment yesterday, but the Chicago Maroon reported that Gaylord Donnelles chairman of the committee and of the Board of Trustees, admitted that Wilson is one of 15 people under consideration.

He search committee, which is composed of seven trustees and seven faculty members is responsible only for making a recommendation on the appointment to the Board of Trustees which will ultimately vote on the appointment.

Four years ago when a similar selection process was under was at Harvard. Wilson was regarded by his academic colleagues here as a possible successor to President Nathan M. Pusey is who resigned to become head of the Mellon Foundation.

Wilson was also mentioned as a possible successor to John I. Dunlop, who resigned as dean of the Faculty to become chairman of the Cost of Living Council in 1973, but that appointment went to Henry Rosovsky