Columbia Daily Spectator

Spectator sat down with University President Lee Bollinger on Friday to talk dean searches, brownstones, and CUArts, among other hot topics. Some highlights from the interview:

• Four deans and a VP: Searches for permanent deans of the School of Engineering and Applied Science, the School of International and Public Affairs, and the Journalism School should all be completed by April at the latest, Bollinger said, and the search for a new dean of the College of Dental Medicine uptown should also be finished soon. Meanwhile, Bollinger is putting together a search committee for a new executive vice president of Arts and Sciences, following Nicholas Dirks' resignation earlier this month to become chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley.

• A scholar and a gentleman: Bollinger said that Dirks has "done wonderful things and is very much appreciated for them,” adding that his new job is good for both Berkeley and Columbia. Asked about the potential field of candidates for Arts and Sciences EVP, Bollinger said there's "no question that it’s a challenging role, a challenging environment, but I am completely confident that I will be able to appoint someone who is superb… We want a very strong EVP for Arts and Sciences.”