UPenn Selection Prompts Protest

The University of Pennsylvania announced yesterday that Francis Sheldon Hackney will replace Martin Meyerson as president, prompting the resignation of the university's provost.

The provost, Vartan Gregorian, had been considered the leading candidate for the post by both students and faculty. He said after the announcement he would step down from his position because of the widespread disappointment on campus with the decision.

Penn's undergraduate assembly planned to hold a rally tomorrow to protest the selection of Hackney, currently president at the University of Tulane.

Undergraduates will express displeasure with the search process, begun two years ago when Meyerson announced his impending resignation, a reporter at the Daily Pennsylvanian said early this morning.

Opposition among the university's trustees led to the decision to appoint Hackney instead of Gregorian despite "strong support" for the provost, the reporter added. No official comment was available.