PITTSBURGH — University of Pittsburgh chancellor Mark Nordenberg says he's stepping down from that post next August, but he hopes to remain at the school as a professor.

Nordenberg announced his decision at a board of trustees meeting Friday, and a subsequent news release says a committee is being formed to choose his replacement.

Nordenberg is 64 and began working in the university's law school in 1977. He became the law school's dean in 1985 and held that title for eight years before moving through other administrative posts before coming chancellor in 1996.

Nordenberg succeeded J. Dennis O'Connor.

Although Nordenberg plans to remain at the university, he says it's too early to determine specifically what he'll do.

ELLWOOD CITY — A community hospital in Western Pennsylvania plans to close its obstetrics unit soon, citing decreasing births.Officials with Ellwood City Hospital say the facility is losing money and that it will save about $200,000 annually by closing the unit.The hospital hasn't decided what to do with the eight-bed unit.Closing it will affect 11 full-time and three part-time nurses who can apply to work in other departments.The hospital averaged 24 births a month in 2007 but so far this year has had only 14 per month.Ellwood City Hospital has only one obstetrician on staff.Hospital officials plan to close the department “in the near future” but haven't specified a date.