Three searches for people to fill top Harvard administrative posts are being vigorously pursued, Provost Jerry R. Green said this week.

The positions of vice president for finance, vice president for government, community and public affairs and associate provost have all recently been the focus of concentrated search efforts, Green said.

The vice presidency for government, vacant since John H. Shattuck left to serve in the Clinton administration last year, should be filled within the next few weeks, he said. Jane H. Corlette has been filling the role until a successor is chosen.

While Green did not rule out the possibility ofan insider being chosen, he did say that many ofthe candidates are from outside Harvard. "Thereare possibilities inside, but I've met a whole lotof people outside," Green said.

He added that he did not know if Corlette is acontender for the spot. "What she told Neil whenshe was asked to be acting was that she was not acandidate," Green said. "That was a long time ago,though...I've never spoken to Jane about the job."

He also said that the search for the post ofvice president for finance is not being limited toprospects with experience in University finance.The current vice president, Robert H. Scott,announced his resignation last month.

"Actually, why this search is a little lessfocused than the government and community affairssearch [is]...that a vice president for financecould be anybody with a financial background," hesaid. "I'd say the search is pretty open-ended asfar as how far away from the University for a vicepresident we're prepared to look."

Green said he was not sure when the searchesfor a vice president for finance and for anassociate provost would end.

He said this summer that the first-round searchfor an associate provost had ended unsuccessfully,and that a second-round search has just beenrestarted after being "on the back burner" for awhile.

The first-round search was conducted within theUniversity and through the Chronicle of HigherEducation, but the process currently underway isfocusing mainly on major research institutionssuch as the Ford, Sloan and Mellon Foundations,Green said.

"I'm looking for somebody who has been aresearcher themselves and who also has managedresearch projects," he said.

Green said this summer that he would like tofind a candidate with a background in thesciences. Yesterday, however, he said thatconsideration is now of the "second order."

And, while Green said that the search wouldhave to be conducted thoroughly, he indicated thathe hopes to find an associate provost as soon aspossible. "I really do need somebody. I've beenhere over 100 hours a week [recently]" he said