March 7, 1969

President

Martin Myerson

State University of New York at Buffalo
Buffalo, New York 14214

Dear Mr. Myerson,

I was honored and flattered to receive your telephone
message about your interest in my taking an Albert Einstein Chair
at Buffalo. I was alse very happy to read the plans for and the
accomplishments of the university as reflected in the background
material that Roy Pesthsent to me at my request. The clarity of
thinking and setting of purpose reflected in these documents is very
impressive.

An invitation such as you presented to me could not and
should not be answered in an off hand way but it should, if possible,
be answered promptly to avoid unnecessary agonies on both sides of
many kinds. I have given the matter very careful thought and have
concluded that now and the next few years are simply not appropriate
times for me to consider a move of thie sort not withstanding that
the proposal is one of the most attractive I could possibly imagine.

While my decision on this point is a firm one I hope this
does not deflect from the excuse to have a chance to talk to you
about the development of your university and I would welcome an
opportunity to meet you if we can conveniently arrange it in a course
of some future visit that you may make to this area.

Sincerely yours,

Joshua Lederberg
Professor of Genetics

CC:Roy Pesch
JL/rr

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