EDITORIAL: An Engineering dean at last

The appointment of Eduardo Glandt brings a 15-month search process to a highly satisfactory conclusion. First and foremost, we applaud Glandt's appointment. During his tenure as interim dean, he demonstrated a capacity for leadership and an ability to fundraise for his school even under the constraints imposed by his non-permanent status. Glandt secured a $5 million gift from Melvin and Claire Levine toward a new IAST laboratory, which will link the Towne and Moore buildings. An interdisciplinary program in Digital Media Design -- in conjunction with the Annenberg School and the Graduate School of Fine Arts -- and a joint-degree program with the Graduate School of Education were both started under Glandt's watch, as well. Now, with a permanent appointment behind him, we have every reason to believe that Glandt will take Penn's Engineering School to new heights. In particular, Glandt must push the Engineering School forward in the area of computer science. Not only is computer science an area of interest to an increasing number of students pursuing engineering degrees, but its role as a component in interdisciplinary initiatives cannot be underestimated. Programs like Digital Media Design exemplify the uptick in demand for interdisciplinary programs that make use of computing skills in increasingly diverse fields. The Engineering School has an important role to play in this process. In the context of all the good that stands to be accomplished now that Glandt has received a permanent appointment, we would be remiss not to revisit the question of process: Why did it take 15 months to appoint Glandt permanent dean? We are well aware that searches take time. And this process was of a length comparable to those for other recent major University appointments, including Provost Robert Barchi. But taking time to find a new dean carries a heavy cost. To some degree, that cost may be well justified by the need to exercise caution and due deliberation in finding suitable long-term leadership. At some point, however, the costs of waiting outweigh the benefits of being sure. It is an equation which should be watched carefully by the Law and Wharton dean search committees.