OF RECORD
Final Report of the Consultative Committee on the Selection of a Dean
of the School of Arts and Sciences
The School of Arts and Sciences Dean Search Committee was convened
by President Judith Rodin and Provost Stanley Chodorow on December 4, 1996.
Members of the committee were: Janice Bellace (professor of legal studies
and deputy dean, The Wharton School); Kent Blasie (professor of chemistry,
SAS); Anthony Cashmore (professor of biology, SAS); Colin Diver (professor
of law and dean, Law School); Oscar Gandy (professor of communications,
Annenberg School); Lynn Hunt (professor of history, SAS); Natalie I. Koether
(University trustee and chair, SAS overseers); Bruce Lenthall (doctoral
student, SAS); Douglas Massey (Dorothy Swaine Thomas professor of sociology
and chair, SAS), chair; John Richetti (professor of English, SAS);
Mark Rosenzweig (professor of economics and chair, SAS); Justin Shellaway
(SAS student); Ari Silverman (SAS student). Constance C. Goodman, Associate
Secretary of the University, served as secretary to the committee.
In order to understand the issues and challenges facing the School
of Arts and Sciences, the committee consulted widely with representatives
of the School, as well as with members of the administration with the goal
of finding a dean who could provide the intellectual vision and leadership
necessary to maintain and strengthen the School's academic excellence in
education and research. The committee sought candidates with distinguished
scholarly records and significant administrative and management experience
who could represent the School and its interests to other constituents
both within and outside of the University. The search focused on engaging
a chief academic officer of the School who could be responsible for all
educational programs, research activities, planning, budgeting, development
and faculty appointments. The committee sought a dean who could maintain
and strengthen the School's excellence and guide it into the 21st Century.
The committee solicited nominations from SAS faculty, students, and
alumni, as well as from peer institutions across the country. Advertisements
were placed in The Chronicle of Higher Education, Science,
The New York Times, Black Issues in Higher Education, and
Hispanic Outlook. In addition, the search firm of A.T. Kearney
was engaged to assist the committee in identifying candidates.
In all, the Committee met 25 times and reviewed the credentials of
115 candidates, 16 of whom were women, 7 were identified as minorities;
and 13 were faculty members of the School.
A total of 18 individuals were interviewed. At the completion of this
process, and after careful deliberation, the committee submitted a set
of recommendations to the president and provost, who subsequently announced
the appointment of Dr. Samuel H. Preston, professor of sociology and director
of Penn's Population Studies Center, as the new Dean of the School of Arts
and Sciences. The appointment will be submitted to the Trustees of the
University for final approval at the Stated Meeting to be held on February
20, 1998.