EDITORIAL: A well-deserved donation for SAS

SAS Dean Samuel Preston should use the $10 million gift to attract and retain noted professors. Though SAS is an excellent school and is the foundation for the Penn liberal arts experience, the school has for years been troubled by financial woes and faculty shortages. Several high-profile departures in recent years have drawn attention to the school's weak spots, and the fact that many of these faculty positions have gone unfilled speaks volumes about SAS's troubles. The Political Science Department, for example, lost two junior professors last year and is expecting to lose four senior professors this year due to retirements. Yet the department was only able to hire one junior professor over the summer to help fill the void after failing to attract a senor professor it was pursuing. With the December 1997 appointment of Samuel Preston as the school's dean, SAS received strong leadership from a man with vision. But even Preston's presence could not solve the problems caused by a lack of money. Now, a $10 million gift from the estate of John Merriam has the potential to help SAS improve many of its departments. As if the gift itself isn't enough, the donation's loose requirements are an especially helpful blessing. Unlike many donations which are intended for specific purposes --Esuch as undergraduate research or financial aid -- this gift will be dispersed by Preston as he sees fit. And that's exactly how it should be. It makes sense that the person with the most direct knowledge of SAS's needs be the one writing the checks. We hope that Preston focuses in particular on faculty recruitment and retention. Most notably, Poli Sci and the Chemistry Department are both in need of talented faculty members to fill current vacancies, and this is the perfect opportunity to attract them. Both departments have failed in their efforts to draw distinguished professors from other institutions. Hopefully, part of the $10 million donation can be spent on attractive research and compensation packages to lure professors to the University. Because distinguished professors are often offered similar pay from one school to another, adequate research funding that supports scholars' work in their fields may be what draws them to a particular university. Looking at the bigger picture, Preston may be able to use some of the money to solve the problems that keep faculty from coming to Penn and staying here in the first place. However the funds are used, we feel certain of one thing: They are in good hands with Preston.