The Kennedy School this week officially announced the composition of its search team charged with finding a new Institute of Politics (IOP) director.

The statement was the school's official announcement that Charles T. Royer, IOP director since 1990, was stepping down. Royer announced to the Harvard community in March that he was leaving.

Steve Singer, a Kennedy School spokesperson, said this week that the members of the search committee were picked in part because of their past of presents ties to the IOP.

Committee members include: Chair of the IOP Senior Advisory Committee Ron Brown, U.S. secretary of commerce: Kennedy School graduate Sheila Burke, chief of staff to Sen. Robert Dole (R-Kan): former IOP Fellow Nancy Risque Rohrbach, senior vice-president of USAir, Inc.; Professor of Government Michael J. Sandel; Shirley Williams, public service professor electoral politics at the Kennedy School; and former IOP Fellow Michael woo, former mayor of Los Angeles.

The first IOP director, Dillon Professor of Government Richard E. Neustadt, will chair the committee.

Executive Director of the Taubman Center for State and Local Government Nicholas T. Mitropoulos will be vice chair.

Neustadt was asked to head the search by Albert Carnesale, who is currently serving as both dean of the Kennedy School and University provost.

"I'm sorry we can't keep Charley with us longer," Carnesale said in a statement this week. "He infused the Institute with his authentic feel for big city politics, as well as his thoughtful understanding of substantive policy issues facing urban American and, of course, his irreverent sense of humor."

Royer said in March that he would be returning to Seattle, where he was once mayor, when his term ends on December 31. Singer said this week that Royer, still plans to return there.