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• Director of the Cooper-Hewitt Museum -- Interviews held in early December with seven candidates reflected a wide diversity in qualifications but made it clear to the search committee that, despite a thorough search, a number of other major museum professionals had not yet indicated a willingness to be considered. The committee decided that it would be premature to recommend any names to the Secretary without first ensuring that others in the field had been invited to apply, and, accordingly the announcement has been reopened through the end of March. Harold F. (Bud) Pfister, formerly the Assistant Director, has been serving as the Acting Director of the Cooper-Hewitt Museum since Lisa Taylor's resignation last June.

• Director of the Archives of American Art -- A position description is being developed and a list of people who might be invited to serve on the search committee has recently been forwarded to the Secretary. John Fleckner, Director of the Archives Center in the National Museum of American History, has been serving as the Acting Director of the Archives of American Art since the resignation of Richard Murray in November.

• Director of the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery/Freer Gallery of Art -- A position description has been written and names of potential search committee members have recently been recommended to the Secretary. Milo Beach, formerly the Assistant Director for the Sackler Gallery, has been serving as the Acting Director of both galleries since the retirement of Thomas Lawton in early October.

• Director of the Smithsonian Traveling Exhibition Service -- The search committee was convened last October for a preliminary meeting to discuss a wide range of programmatic and administrative issues and to make recommendations pertinent to the selection of a new director. A report on the proceedings, which will be made available to prospective candidates, was circulated for comment and revised accordingly. The position is being advertised in relevant publications with a closing date of March 15. It is anticipated that a portion of the committee will be reconvened soon thereafter to conduct interviews and make recommendations to the Secretary. Eileen Rose, Associate Director of SITES, has been serving as Acting Director since the resignation of Peggy Loar in June.

• Director of the Office of Information Resource Management -- This recruitment has entered its final phase with the search committee's review of the top forty applicants in order to narrow the field to eight or fewer finalists who will be interviewed. It is hoped that recommendations will be made to the Secretary and a selection can be made in time to have a new director on board by March. The position was left vacant by Richard H. Lytle's resignation in June; James J. Crockett, Manager of the Collections Management Division of the Office, is currently serving as the Acting Director.