EDITORIAL: Deans' departure to leave big void

They will be sorely missed. And the holes caused by their departures only add to Penn's potentially debilitating shortage of top permanent academic administrators. Throughout their tenure as deans, Gerrity and Diver have demonstrated strong leadership and provided vision for their respective schools. Since being named Wharton's dean in 1990, Gerrity focused on creating a more global curriculum and boosting the school's endowment. His efforts have clearly paid off. Wharton consistently receives top rankings from national magazines. And Gerrity's skill as a fundraiser and visionary have turned the dream of a new Wharton building into a promised reality. Ground-breaking for the building at 38th and Walnut streets is scheduled for this spring, and the facility should be operational by 2001. Diver will similarly be remembered for his numerous contributions to Penn. While dean of the Law School, Diver oversaw growth and improvement. The caliber of students has improved, the top-ranked school has received a record-breaking donation and numerous interdisciplinary programs have been set up linking the Law School to other branches of the University. Both because of these individuals' strengths and the holes in the administration that already exist, the departures couldn't come at a worse time for the University. Though Gerrity and Diver will continue to work hard for their schools until they step down in July 1999, their impending departures will make it tougher to plan for the schools' futures. Combined with the lack of a permanent provost and an Engineering dean, these two departures leave huge gaps in the realm of academic leadership. University President Judith Rodin should convene search committees as soon as possible to find replacements for Gerrity and Diver. By the time these two men leave office next July, we hope the University will already have permanent deans lined up and ready to serve. The headlines have been full of significant Penn achievements over the past few months, from the opening of Sansom Common to the exciting plans for 40th Street. But with all the excitement, we need to remember that academics is the top priority of the University. And to maintain Penn's standing as one of the country's top higher education institutions, it'll take a continued commitment to academic excellence -- and qualified leaders to steer us in the right direction.