In a move creating an administrative structure unprecedented at any of Harvard’s ten schools, University President Neil L. Rudenstine last week named two individuals to serve as acting dean of the Graduate School of Education (GSE).

Judith D. Singer and John B. Willett, who have jointly served as the academic dean of GSE for the past two years, will serve as dean until a permanent replacement can be found for retiring GSE Dean Jerome T. “Jerry” Murphy, who announced in June last year that he would step down the end of the 2000-2001 academic year.

The pair will also continue to serve as the school’s academic dean for the upcoming year.

University officials could not remember any past instances of two individuals appointed as dean of a school, even in a temporary capacity.

Rudenstine pointed to the success of their arrangement as joint academic deans in announcing the unusual appointment.

“Judy Singer and John Willett have provided excellent academic leadership to the School of Education over the past two years, while pioneering a unique administrative partnership,” Rudenstine said in a prepared statement. “I am grateful for their willingness to extend their creative approach and dedication to this new role.”

Singer said that they view their chief goal for the upcoming year as serving as stewards for the school until a new permanent dean can be named. In this role they mainly hope to continue Murphy’s policies and initiatives and leave any major moves at the school to the next dean.

Additionally, Willett said they hope to play a large role in advising University President-elect Lawrence H. Summers in his choice of the next dean. Summers has not yet announced the process he plans to follow in selecting deans.