He adds that any internal candidate will be toowed to the present system to make the necesaryadjustments.

Another professor, who likewise insisted onanonymity, says he will not be surprised ifRudenstine looks outside Harvard for someone toreplace McArthur.

"We have had several deans in a row now thathave been from the faculty," the professor says."Some of our competitors have had very succesfulappointments from outside the university."

"I guess President Rudenstine would think thatthis is an onetime opportunity to find a leaderoutside the community," he adds.

Several sources interviewed, including HeinzProfessor of Environmental Management Richard H.K. Vietor, say that A. Michael Spence, currentlyStanford University's Business School dean, wouldmake an excellent choice as one who might appeaseboth sides.

Spence also has administrative experience atHarvard, Where he was Jeremy R. Knowles'spredecessor as dean of the Faculty of Arts andSciences (FAS).

Many say, however, that the University isunlikely to offer Spence a top position at Harvardbecause he left the FAS deanship for Stanfordafter only one year--a highly unusual move thatproved embarassing to Harvard.

The Golden Age

A new dean, most professors interviewed say,should be approximately the same age McArthur waswhen he took on the job. The four most prominentcandidates: Cash Clark, Sahlman and Schlesingerall fit that profile.

"[The dean] ought to be somebody between theages of 45 and 50, so that this person would havea decade-plus [to work], at a relatively young agewhen the person has a lot of energy to meet thedemands of the job," says Timken Professor ofBusiness Administration Hugo E. R. Uyterhoeven.

"It has a got to be younger person--40s, maybelater 40s, because administration at institutionsis such a grueling experience," agrees a source inthe Business School community. "It should besomeone who is aware of the fast changes withinsociety and business."

"The [new] dean should be of an age where hecan be here long enough to affect things," addsprofessor of Business Administration William J.Bruns.

Another professor who spoke on condition ofanonymity, however, says some may see no reason touse such an age litmus test.

"A group of folks are contemplating [JapanProfessor of Finance Thomas R.] Piper and [WalkerProfessor of Business Administration F. Warren]McFarlan as possible candidates," he says.

Piper and McFarlan, who are currently bothsenior associate deans under McArthur, are hiscontemporaries in age.