BATON ROUGE, La., Dec. 17 (UPI) -- Former NASA chief Sean O'Keefe is returning home to his native Louisiana as chancellor of the state's flagship university.
O'Keefe was hired Thursday as chancellor of Louisiana State University in a meeting of the board of supervisors, the Baton Rouge Advocate reported. His salary was not disclosed.
O'Keefe was selected after a six-month search that began when Mark Emmert left the post last July.
"I am honored to accept this post," he said. "It's something I dared not dream be possible."
Gov. Kathleen Blanco made an appearance at the meeting to lend her support, and noted that O'Keefe's close relationship with the Bush administration would be helpful to LSU.
O'Keefe submitted his resignation to President Bush on Monday after three years at NASA, but he told the president he would stay on deck until a sucessor is named.
