Dickinson State University President Lee Vickers said Friday he will not accept the job of interim chancellor of North Dakota's university system. His decision left the Board of Higher Education without any finalists for the position.

Vickers said the board's decision to shorten the interim chancellor's employment term to 10 months from as long as two years makes it "a caretaker position during the legislative session." The 2007 Legislature begins Jan. 3, and is expected to last until mid- to late April.

It will be difficult to handle the demands of the Legislature, help recruit a new chancellor and presidents for Bismarck State College and Mayville State University, and handle other university system concerns with a 10-month appointment, Vickers said.

Expecting an interim chancellor to "focus on the legislative session, and all the demands associated with it, and carry on a national search for a permanent chancellor, and meet the other pressing demands and opportunities that are facing higher education, is unrealistic," Vickers said in an interview.

A search committee had suggested Vickers and Eddie Dunn, vice chancellor for strategic planning in North Dakota's university system, as finalists for the job. Whoever is hired will replace incumbent Chancellor Robert Potts, who is resigning at month's end.

The chancellor works directly for the board and is considered the top administrator in the university system, which has 11 public colleges.

Dunn stood down Thursday and endorsed Vickers for the job. He did not respond to telephone messages left Friday at his office and home. John Q. Paulsen, the president of the Board of Higher Education, said Dunn told him he needed time to think about whether to resubmit his name.

The board has scheduled a Thursday meeting to interview Dunn and Vickers. Paulsen said it has not been canceled, and he hopes Dunn will consent to an interview.

In an e-mail to board members, Paulsen said he had asked Dunn whether the 10-month appointment as chancellor would have any effect on his willingness to serve. "He indicated to me a need to have time to consider the question," Paulsen wrote.

Potts' severance agreement requires him to work after his official Tuesday resignation date if an interim successor has not been hired, although its terms allow him to accept another job after Aug. 1 if he chooses.

Late Friday, Potts said no one had spoken to him about continuing on as chancellor after Tuesday.

The search committee, of which Paulsen was chairman, had suggested hiring an interim chancellor for 17 months to 24 months. However, at a board meeting Thursday, members voted 5-3 to reject the longer term, favoring arguments by board member Bruce Christianson that the job should be filled by July 2007.

Vickers said he spoke to Paulsen about the debate Friday, and described him as frustrated by its outcome.

"It's obvious that there are differing opinions among the board members regarding the interim position, the length of the position, and the responsibilities," Vickers said. "Clearly, this is a board perogative, so they will, I'm sure, work that out."

Paulsen, asked if he agreed with the description, said, "I voted against the proposal to shorten the term. I think that speaks for itself."