The University of California Board of Regents postponed the appointment of the new director of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, originally scheduled to be announced last Friday in a conference call to all UC schools.

The UC Office of the President said in a statement that the decision has been postponed pending a further review of the candidates as well as consultations with United States Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham and National Nuclear Security Administrator John Gordon.

Bruce Tarter, the current director of LLNL, announced Dec. 7 that he would step down as the lab’s chief, after serving seven years in the position. Tartar will stay onboard until his replacement is found.

The committee charged with selecting a new director has met mostly in closed session, but how the position will be filled has been the topic of public discussion because of the lab’s nuclear mission and public discontent with many of its previous directors.

-Nexus Staff Report