Editorial: SAS committee's time running out

Two unenthusiastic outgoing deans won't help deal with pressing issues this fall. And Interim School of Arts and Sciences Dean Walter Wales has made it clear that he wants to return to teaching and research full time. With issues such as perennial budget problems, Psychology Department buildings and the search for senior Political Science faculty members facing SAS, the search committee has to find two people willing to work out those difficulties. And the committee must find them soon, since Wales' and Rescorla's terms expire July 1. Even though Wales and Rescorla have pledged to serve beyond their terms until their successors are appointed, the search committee should decide as soon as possible who will lead the University's largest academic division into the next century. Notwithstanding their previous performance, the longer Wales and Rescorla remain in office, the more likely problems will fall by the wayside -- both officials are essentially lame ducks and aren't enthusiastic about continuing in their current positions. The search committee has officially been in the hunt since it was formed in December. But in reality University officials have been searching for an SAS dean since last September, when then-Dean Rosemary Stevens said she would resign effective December. The committee's current situation echoes that of 1994, when another committee selected Rescorla, a Psychology professor, to head the College after Matthew Santirocco left for New York University. Rescorla's term began July 1 of that year. He was named dean June 17. Sociology Chairperson Douglas Massey, the committee chairperson, said a new SAS dean might not be selected until September. One of the dean's first orders of business then would be to appoint the College dean. If they're taking their time, then they should get someone who is ready to serve SAS and the University for more than just a few years. Of the school's six deans since its formation in 1974 only two -- Stevens and outgoing Brown University President Vartan Gregoran -- served more than three years. SAS needs two deans who will give the school stability and are prepared to deal with the problems it faces.