Search for dean underway

Nearly eight months after School of Social Work Dean Ira Schwartz stepped down from his post to become the provost of Temple University, University President Judith Rodin and Provost Robert Barchi have appointed a search committee to select candidates for the vacant position.

Led by Law School Dean Michael Fitts, the committee is composed of mix eleven of University administrators, professors and graduate students.

According to Fitts, the committee hopes to narrow down a list of potential candidates relatively soon.

"We don't have any firm timeline [for the search], but we want to move as quickly as possible," Fitts said. "We're meeting weekly over the summer and hope to have a great dean as soon as we can."

Currently, Richard Gelles is serving as the Interim Dean for the School of Social Work. Gelles was formally appointed to the post in August of last year after Schwartz announced in July that he had accepted the provostship at Temple.

Fitts noted that the committee has not appointed an external search firm to help fill the vacancy.

Nevertheless, he said that they were planning looking at a wide range of candidates for the position.

"I think we're looking broadly internally and externally to find the best person for the job," Fitts said.

Prior to his departure from the University, Schwartz had served as Dean since 1993. During his tenure at the University, Schwartz was involved in extensive fundraising efforts that led to a $10 million increase in the School of Social Work's endowment.

Additionally, Schwartz helped recruit distinguished faculty to the school and created a strong research program, according to Fitts.

"I think that Ira was an excellent dean for the school," Fitts said. "He was responsible for making a number of truly excellent appointments and expanding the level of research done at the school."

Fitts said that the committee would be looking for a person to build upon Schwartz's accomplishments.

"The deans at the University of Pennsylvania are in a sense responsible for the academic excellence of their schools," Fitts explained. "That means both recruiting and sustaining top faculty and students and garnering the financial support to support the excellence of the schools."

For the School of Social Work in particular, Fitts added that selecting candidates with strong academic and financial backgrounds would be important.

"We clearly want someone who will be an academic leader... and someone who will be able to secure external support both in terms of fundraising and grants for the school" Fitts said.

And while Fitts said that Schwartz left the school "in good hands," he did note that in some ways the position is not an easy one to hold.

"It is a challenging position but an incredibly rewarding position given the responsibilities that are vested in deans," Fitts said. "I think it's an excellent deanship, a fine school and a superb opportunity."

After the committee selects a pool of prospective candidates, they will present Rodin and Barchi with a list of people who they feel are best suited for the position. From there, Rodin and Barchi will make the final selection.

"The ultimate decision is clearly theirs," Fitts said. "Our job is to provide them with the names."

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