NASA head applies for LSU job

WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 (UPI) -- NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe was poised Sunday to leave the Bush administration for a chancellor position at Louisiana State University.

An official announcement was expected to come as early as Monday, the Houston Chronicle reported Sunday.

The Chronicle said his departure would follow NASA's struggles to recover from the loss of the shuttle Columbia. NASA has been planning expensive efforts to send astronauts to the moon and Mars.

O'Keefe formally applied for the Chancellor post late Friday.

Charles Zewe, a spokesman for LSU's board of supervisors, said O'Keefe was the top choice but must meet with the search committee and the university's board of supervisors.