Seven candidates remain in the race for the next University president, said P.J. Sternberg, the undergraduate student representative on the Presidential Search and Screen Committee.

The search committee met its March 1 deadline for submitting a list of candidates to the Trustee Presidential Selection Committee, said J. Lloyd Huck, selection committee chairman. The selection committee will choose a replacement for University President Bryce Jordan, who retires Aug. 31, from the list complied by the search committee.

The selection committee will offer its recommendation for the next president to the full University Board of Trustees sometime before Jordan's scheduled retirement date.

Huck, president of the board, would not comment on any characteristics of the candidates.

"We need to keep everything very confidential at this point so as not to lose anyone on the list," Huck said.

In January, Huck said the next Penn State president is likely to be someone currently serving as president or "number two man" at another major university.

Sternberg said he could not comment on whether all of the candidates on the search committee's list were serving as presidents or provosts at other institutions. However, he said such candidates would have an edge over a department head or dean.

"A president or provost would have a better chance of being named president of Penn State, which is, after all, a major university," Sternberg said.

Two university presidents -- John DiBiaggio of Michigan State University and Samuel Smith of Washington State University -- are among those rumored to be contenders for the position here.

Sternberg expressed confidence in the choices of the search committee.

"I feel that any of them could serve as president and do a fantastic job," he said.