Eight days after the Dean of the School of Public Health (SPH) Harvey V. Fineberg '67 announced that he accepted the number two position in the University, that of Provost, officials said they expected the search to replace his current position might take a year and be "international in scope."

Until the position is filled, SPH Dean for Academic Affairs James H. Ware will serve as Acting Dean beginning on July 1 and he said he expects to serve for "six to nine months."

"The Dean is selected by the President, the President will appoint an advisory committee of school of public health faculty," Ware said. "He will work with that committee...[to] take a broad look across the country to look at candidates."

Fineberg said he has had preliminary talks with President Neil L. Rudenstine about the search, and he estimated that based on past searches, it would take up to a year.

"One good thing about Harvard is that you don't have to much say about your successor," Fineberg said. "Any new dean will have to decide for herself or himself...the priorities at the school of public health."

The new dean must work with the various departments and diverse issues that fall within the sphere of public health, according to Faculty members at SPH.

"One thing that we are looking for is a person who understands the breadth and range of issues that public health is dealing with right now," said Kristine L. Forsgard, deputy director of academic programs at SPH.

"The challenge is to keep this multi-pronged [institution going]," said Chair of the Epidemiology Department Alexander M. Walker. "[The Dean] needs to be able to talk to scientists and sociologists with the same level of understanding and insight."

During Fineberg's 13-year tenure, the school has enlarged its enrollment by more than 50 percent, as the field of public health has expanded because of the AIDS crisis, the prominence of health care reform and the increased interest in the relationship between diet and health.

Fineberg expanded the SPH's programs through summer classes and short workshops.

"This used to be simply a nine month school," Walker said. "Fineberg has opened the school to the Boston community by summer programs, professional education--short intense programs [have] become a major part [of the school]."

Both Fineberg and Ware said they were confident the acting dean could fulfill the role, considering that Ware has served as the dean's right-hand man for the past seven years.

In the coming year, Ware will oversee the school's 75th anniversary and SPH's relocation to the Francois-Xavier Bagnoud facility.

"I have really supported [Fineberg's] agenda for the school," Ware said. "As an acting Dean my plan is to keep moving actively ahead."

Matthew W. Granade contributed to the reporting of this story.