Interim dean sticks to Diver's agenda for Law

Charles Mooney wants to keep the Law School moving, but leave soon. But for now at least, Mooney is putting aside his teaching and his scholarly work in order to serve as interim dean of the Penn Law School while the search for the permanent replacement to former Dean Colin Diver continues. Diver officially stepped down last month after 10 years at the helm of the Law School. Currently on sabbatical, Diver is expected to return to teaching next year. Though replacing Diver -- who expanded the school's facilities and academic support services and raised more than $100 million for the school's activities and endowment -- is a formidable task, Mooney said yesterday that he is familiar with the initiatives set forth by his predecessor and is prepared to continue helping the school fulfill its 2 1/2-year-old strategic plan. "Around here, I think we're somewhat unified when it comes to our plan and things we have to accomplish," Mooney said. "If anything, my colleagues have encouraged me not to tread water because that means you're going to go downstream." Mooney said he expects to be occupied with some of Diver's works in progress -- namely, a strategic plan for the Law School that Diver released in 1997 calling for a more broad-based, integrative curriculum, increased student selectivity and an expansion of the standing faculty. "Colin has left us with a plan. We know what we want to do, we know what we need money for, we have targets for the money we need," Mooney said, adding that fundraising initiatives will not be stalled under his leadership. Several Law School professors expressed confidence that Mooney, who is currently in his second year as the school's associate dean of academic affairs, will fill the void capably. Few seemed worried that his appointment would signal a stalemate in advancing the school's agenda. Law School Professor Frank Goodman called Mooney an "extremely able and capable administrator," specifically lauding his strong personal relationships with his colleagues. "He's extremely capable of dealing in a sympathetic way with all members of the faculty," Goodman said. "He's a really straight shooter," Law School Professor Howard Lesnick added. What's not clear at this point is how long Mooney will serve or how long the search for his replacement will take. When Diver announced last October that he would step down July 1, he did so with the hope that his position would be filled by that time. As it became increasingly apparent that the search would continue through the summer, Diver said he would fulfill his administrative duties until the start of the year. "We were not necessarily pleased that [the search] was extended, but given the high standards that the faculty has? I can't say anyone's really shocked," Mooney said of the search process. Law School search committee chairperson Richard Herring said two weeks ago that the search could ideally be concluded this fall. Mooney has said he would likely reject the opportunity to be the permanent dean even if asked. His plans to take a sabbatical next year have not yet changed. "I would be very surprised and very displeased if I had to serve beyond this academic year," Mooney said. Mooney, who specializes in commercial law and bankruptcy, arrived at the Law School in 1986 after serving as a partner at Shearman & Stearling in New York City. He received his bachelor's degree from the University of Oklahoma and graduated cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1972. Former Wharton School Dean Thomas Gerrity also announced in October that he would step down this summer. He left office on July 1 to spend more time with his family. Wharton Deputy Dean Patrick Harker was appointed interim dean last month. And former Engineering Dean Gregory Farrington resigned in May 1998, leaving a post that has been filled for more than a year by Interim Dean Eduardo Glandt.