BANGOR – University of Maine Interim President Robert Kennedy acknowledged Friday that he had been a finalist to become top administrator at two other universities, but that he withdrew his name from consideration earlier this month so he could concentrate on his job at the Orono campus.

Kennedy said he had been a finalist for the position of chancellor at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, as well as for the position of president at a private institution whose name he was not at liberty to divulge.

“My reasons for withdrawing are because I have enjoyed the position here so much and because of the support people have expressed for the campus and the good progress that we’ve been making,” he said.

“I simply want to, at this point, focus on those many good things and work on behalf of students, faculty, staff and so many people around the state.”

Kennedy, who had been approached by a search firm to apply for the positions, said he had visited the Wisconsin campus and been interviewed. He was scheduled for an interview at the unnamed institution but withdrew his application before the visit, he said.

Kennedy has been interim president at the University of Maine since last August after former President Peter Hoff’s resignation.

A committee searching for Hoff’s permanent replacement is making progress, the committee’s chairman, James Mullen, said Friday.

After screening about 50 applicants from all over the country, the committee has winnowed the field to nine or 10 people who will be interviewed next week.

Mullen said that while applicants’ names couldn’t be revealed just yet, by week’s end the group should be narrowed to three finalists who would then be asked if their names could be made public.

While it is not known whether Kennedy is among the candidates, he said during an interview late last year that he had not ruled out applying for the permanent position at UM.

Mullen said Friday that the three finalists for the post would be invited to visit UM to speak with faculty, staff, students, alumni and local business people.

“We’ve got some very well-qualified potential candidates,” he said. “The committee as a whole was pleased with both the number and the quality of the initial pool of applicants.”