Faculty look forward to new role for Bushnell

After just more than a year as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, long-time Penn professor Rebecca Bushnell's move upward to the position of School and Arts and Sciences dean has been greeted by support and approval from SAS faculty members.

"We are absolutely delighted," Political Science Department Chairman Rogers Smith said, adding that Bushnell has had a long history of outstanding commitment to education.

Bushnell's promotion leaves the post of College dean empty, but many faculty members said that they expect a replacement soon and are confident that the transition will go smoothly.

The transition "will create some inconveniences," Smith said, "but there is a very good and committed staff in the dean's office."

Math Department Chairman Julius Shaneson predicted that Bushnell would not leave the post empty for long.

"I don't expect there to be a big lag time," Shaneson said. "I expect someone there Jan. 1."

In an interview last week, Bushnell herself expressed a desire to see the position filled by the start of next semester.

"That's my intention -- we'll see if I can pull it off," she said.

Psychology Department Chairman Robert DeRubeis said that although there are some disadvantages to picking a current University administrator to fill another role, internal promotions promote a sense of continuity among University staff members.

"Certainly when you find a terrific person you should appoint them" whether they're from inside or outside the University, he said. "But sometimes getting people from the outside results in you not having them for very long."

He cited stability as an issue, saying that "it is wiser to go with someone who has already demonstrated that they are committed to Penn."

Economics Department Chairman Kenneth Wolpin said he saw the issue more in terms of the quality of Penn's current administrators.

"If we have the best people, we should retain them in these positions," Wolpin said.

Additional faculty members also acknowledged that Bushnell's inside knowledge of Penn made her an optimal choice.

Most department chairs said they do not expect Bushnell to drastically change the day-to-day aspects of their departments.

"I don't think there will be any special effect on our department, but our department does well when we have talented administrators on hand," Smith said.

Although daily operations may continue uninterrupted, the dean should not be underestimated.

"The dean's office is very helpful to us and we want that to continue," Shaneson said, adding that "each dean brings a slightly different perspective to the job."

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