But Chmura countered the statement. "Ingeneral, there is not a direct connection betweena visiting and a permanent appointment," he said.

Between 12 and 20 professors visit the LawSchool each year, but only "two to five newprofessors" are hired, according to Chmura. Tenuremust be approved by the Law School's facultyappointments committee and is notoriouslydifficult.

For instance, renowned feminist theoristCatherine MacKinnon was not granted tenure. Shenow teaches at the University of Michigan LawSchool.

Law School Dean Robert C. Clark, who heads thefaculty appointments committee, did not returnmessages yesterday, nor did Assistant AttorneyGeneral for Civil Rights Deval L. Patrick '78,whom Clinton named to the post following Guinier'snomination.

Law School Lecturer A. Leon Higginbotham Jr., afriend of Guinier and public service professor ofjurisprudence at the Kennedy School of Government,said he did not know of Guinier's future plans.

"She is a superb scholar and would be in thehighest traditions of Harvard Law School," saidHigginbotham, who taught at the Penn law schoolbefore coming to Harvard in 1993.

"She was highly respected by her students andher colleagues," Higginbotham added.

Higginbotham refused to say whether Guinier hasindicated an intent to accept Harvard'sinvitation, which still stands, or whether he hadadvised Guinier to come.

"I understand she was made an offer to visitand I don't know whether she accepted the positionor not," said Bruce Nichols, the book editor ofGuinier's 1994 work "The Tyranny of the Majority,"in an interview last night.

Guinier has long ties to Harvard. Her father,Ewart Guinier, was the first chair of Harvard'sAfro-American Studies Department.

She attended Yale Law School after graduatingfrom Radcliffe and received tenure at Penn shortlybefore her nomination to the Justice Departmentpost.

Guinier's mother, Eugenia Guinier, did notreturn messages left at her Cambridge residenceyesterday