Although President-elect Barack Obama announced his pick for Secretary of Education this morning, it is still unclear whether Penn State President Graham Spanier was a candidate for the post.

In an e-mail sent Tuesday, Spanier remained tight-lipped on the subject, praising Obama's nominee - Chicago superintendent of schools Arne Duncan - but declining to comment on his rumored consideration for the spot.

"I think the president elect has made an excellent choice," Spanier wrote. "It is important at this moment in history that the administration have an experienced K-12 leader and educator in that role."

Spanier did not respond to a question asking him to confirm or deny he had been in consideration for the post or vetted by the Obama team.

Representatives from Obama's transition team did not return a call by press time Tuesday.

Spanier was among those rumored to be in contention for the Secretary of Education post, although several university trustees later said they had not heard anything about his possible spot on an Obama shortlist.

On Dec. 3, Marc Ambinder, associate editor of The Atlantic, said "prominent Democrats" had tapped Spanier as a possible cabinet pick, adding that the university president was "absolutely in the mix" for the Secretary of Education position.

However, several university trustees have since said they had not heard anything about Spanier's possible consideration for the post.

On Dec. 4, university Trustee Edward Junker said Spanier had denied rumors about being on an Obama shortlist in November.
"I had been told ... that that was purely speculation -- that there wasn't anything to that story," university spokeswoman Jill Shockey said Tuesday when asked if Spanier had been in consideration for the post.

Shockey added she would look into the matter, but was unavailable for further comment later in the day.
Duncan, a Harvard University graduate, has served as chief executive officer of the Chicago Public Schools for seven years, according to a press release from the Obama transition team.

In the press release from Obama's transition team, Obama called Duncan "the most hands-on of hands-on practitioners" in terms of reforming schools.

Duncan called education "the civil rights issue of our generation" and called for "innovative new approaches to learning," according to the press release.