Bruce Vladeck Will Hold Fort (interim) of UMDNJ

Bruce C. Vladeck, an expert in health care policy, is slated to be the interim president of the University of Medicine and Dentistry at New Jersey. Vladeck in an earlier capacity had been in charge of the federal Medicaid and Medicare programs.

Vladeck will now replace UMDNJ president John Petillo, who was eased out of his chair by Gov. Jon Corzine. The Formal relinquishing of authority is yet to take place. The University's board of trustees has independent authority to hire a new president. The federal monitor had impressed upon the board, to initiate the hunt for a permanent successor to Petillo. However, the board members had left it to the governor to select an interim chief executive.

Vladeck was chosen from a group of external candidates, ratified by Corzine's adviser Richard Leone, the former state treasurer. Initially the plan was to choose from the rank and file of the UMDNJ, but none of the candidates fit the bill.

The University's reform happens to be key agenda, after all the scandals and financial irregularities that have rocked the university during the past year.