A search committee for the state Board of Regents has voted to pass up a national search for a new commissioner of higher education after it voted unanimously to recommend UL System President Sally Clausen for the job. The search committee has agreed to a full board interview, which may be conducted next week. Clausen served briefly in the late 1980's as higher ed commissioner under then-Governor Edwin Edwards, and later became president of Southeastern Louisiana University. She began her tenure as UL System president in 2001. Current Higher Education Commissioner Joe Savoie is leaving to become president of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.