Dear Professor Mehra

Than you for your note on the subject of continuing dialogue with the faculty and others at Albright as I promised. I was surprised with your question again on Seton Hall and candidacies at other institutions, given that I did respond via email to your February questions the same day I received it. Not sure what happened to that response (you might want to check your email files again). As I stated then, I certainly was a candidate and finalist for positions at Seton Hall and a number of other institutions. In my conversations with the search consultant to Albright I was very open at every stage of the process, and learned that it is is quite common to be on "multiple institutions' lists" given there are certain times of the year when serahces tend to be conducted so that selections can be timed for Summer changes. However, again in being totally open with all involved in the Albright search (including your faculty representatives on the committee), I made it very clear that Albright overwhelmingly and unhesitatingly my first choice and that I would take no steps in any of the other searches without informing those involved in the Albright search before and after communicating with other institutions. I believe I remained true to that commitment.

With regard to my candidacy at other institutions being a factor affecting the pace of the Albright search, I cannot speak for members of the committee. However, it was never my perception that external issues such as this were a factor. From the veru beginning of the search, Mr Cutrona made it clear to me that Albright was hoping for an early decision to enable a long, deliberate, and smooth transition period between the Presidents and for the College. In the Fall, Mr Cutrona and the search consultant actually were targeting January for the decision to be made if possible. So I got the impression they actually took MORE time than originally planned; but again I am not priviledged to all of the internal details of the committee's work and I re-emphasize that I cannot speak for the committee. Hope this helps (and reassures me of my sincere commitment to Albright from the moment I applied to your wonderful school)! With regard to meetings with the faculty and phone conversations, I have had a number of meetings with faculty at large (2-3 so far) during my visits to Albright, and before the Kosovo crisis escalated, I was interacting via mail and phone with all who contacted me. However, I asked Professor King to apologize to the faculty on my behalf for necessarily having to fall off of that commitment temporarily given that we indeed have moved to 24 hours/day, 7 days/week operations in support of the Kosovo situation. And I can assure you that as the Senior Strategic Planner to the Joint Chiefs I have been fully and significantly engaged. Indeed, it is the most streesful operation in which I have been involved in my more than 29 years of service to date. In fact, teher is some possibility that I could be retained beyond the date I was to assume the Presidency Ialthough we are all hoping for a resolution before then.). I will be happy to share the details to the extent that I am able after my arrical. It is simply nearly impossible for me to attempt to set a time to communicate with you or anyone telephonically from the Pentagon during these totally consuming and hectic days. In fact, even my wife can rarely track me down personally during the day - so leaves messages to which I respond at some late hour when I arrive home. As you can see by the hour of this message, these late hours are my time for personal and other communications. I am hoping that these types of leadership and planning experiences will increase my value to the faculty and the college in the longer term. And I assure your, both Janie and I are more than ready to leave the Pentagon, washington, and begin the new opportunity to serve at Albright. If you would like to send your questions via email, I will make every attempt to respond promptly! Best regards to Professor Mehra, and the faculty at large.

Very sincerely,

Dr Zimon

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