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Cold-fusion researcher B. Stanley Pons and the University of Utah are negotiating Dr. Pons' future at the university, a U. official said Friday.

"Basically, Professor Pons and the university are negotiating concerning Professor Pons' future relationship with the university,

" said John Morris, associate vice president for academic affairs. "We hope to have that resolved by next week."

Mr. Morris said he could not say more about the negotiations because it is a personnel matter, which university policy requires be kept private.

"All I can tell you is we're talking with him and he's talking with us," he said. "I think we'll have resolution of that by the middle of next week."

Dr. Pons asked for sabbatical leave last November, but the university has not yet formally acted on the request, Mr. Morris said.

Dr. Pons' attorney, C. Gary Triggs, agreed that negotiations are ongoing and an announcement was expected next week. Mr. Triggs, in a telephone interview from North Carolina, said he also could not discuss the negotiations, but he was confident his client would continue his affiliation with the university.

"The question has been that he obviously can't do his teaching duties and his research at the same time," Mr. Triggs said.

Dr. Pons is scheduled to teach a class which begins Monday.

Chemistry department chairman Peter Stang said Friday nine students have signed up for the class.

"As far as I know, that class has not been canceled," Dr. Stang said. He referred questions on who will teach the class to Mr.

Morris.

"I can't answer that at this point," Mr. Morris said. "That's part of the negotiations."

Mr. Triggs declined to specifically address Monday's class, but maintained that Dr. Pons would prefer to concentrate on research.

"It's just not reasonable to think he's going to give up research to teach a class."

Mr. Triggs said Dr. Pons was in Utah over the Christmas holiday, but he is not in the state now. His decision to sell his house and remove his children from school last fall prompted speculation Dr.

Pons was leaving town, and several U. professors say privately that Dr. Pons' relationship with his colleagues has deteriorated.

But Mr. Triggs maintains his client's relationship with the university "is better than ever, really."

"There's a good spirit of cooperation right now," said Mr.

Triggs. "Greg Williams {the university's cold-fusion attorney} is good to work with. {University President} Chase Peterson is good to work with."

He acknowledged Dr. Pons has had some difficulties with Fritz Will of the National Cold Fusion Institute, but said both men are "professionals" who will be able to work together.

Dr. Will, who could not be reached for comment Friday, has objected to Dr. Pons' insistence that all communication go through Mr. Triggs.

"Fritz doesn't like to talk to lawyers, and I understand that," Mr. Triggs said. But he added that protecting Dr. Pons' patent position requires that attorneys be involved.

"If anyone thinks this {cold fusion} is not being sought after by other interests, they're wrong," he said.

That interest has thus far not resulted in financial benefits to the university or the cold-fusion institute, which has little success raising funds to supplement the Utah Legislature's $5 million commitment to cold fusion.

A four-member scientific review committee issued a report on the institute which Dr. Will has said is crucial to the institute's future fund raising. That report will be released Tuesday at a meeting of the State Fusion/Energy Advisory Council.