Students and faculty in the College of Medicine might know by the end of the week which of the three final candidates will be the new dean of their college.

Dean Finalists Dr. Jose Jalife director of the Institute for Cardiovascular Research at SUNY Upstate Medical University in New York Dr. Kenneth J. Ryan Interim dean for UA College of Medicine Dr. Keith A. Joiner director of the Investigative Medicine Program at Yale

The search, which rooted out about 40 candidates, on diversity by placing ads in medical journals written for women or minorities and calling health organizations with diverse staff, said Dr. Raymond Woosley, vice president for the Arizona Health Sciences Center.

The selection process for the dean is one of the first to use standards set forth in the university's Diversity Action Plan released last year by the president.

"Diversity of the applicant pool pretty much reflected the candidate pool out there," Woosley said. "If I had a disappointment, not in the process but just (overall), I would have liked to have a female candidate in the finalists."

Deans are usually chosen from the chairs of departments, and only 10 percent of medical department heads are women, therefore, only 10 percent of the applicant pool consisted of women, he said.

One of the three final candidates is Hispanic, Dr. Jose Jalife.

One of the greatest challenges for the new dean of the College of Medicine will be dealing with budget cuts while trying to find money to support growth, needed because of a developing doctor shortage in Arizona.

There are 10 more students in the College of Medicine this year, and the plan is to increase the student population by another 10 next year.

There are about 400 students in the college.

But in order to accommodate even more students in future years, there will have to be more faculty to teach them.

"How do you increase the faculty when our budgets were cut 13 percent?" Woosley asked.

The candidates for the dean position include: Dr. Keith A. Joiner, director of the Investigative Medicine Program at Yale; Dr. Jose Jalife, director of the Institute for Cardiovascular Research at SUNY Upstate Medical University in New York; and Dr. Kenneth J. Ryan, who is serving as interim dean for the UA College of Medicine.

Ryan will speak and answer questions today at noon and 4 p.m. in the Kiewit Auditorium in the Cancer Center. Joiner and Jalife have already spoken.

Joiner and Jalife had similar views of the future of the medical school that they spoke of during their individual forums. Both said they would like to see the school double in size.

ÎThe centerpiece of what needs to de done here is to grow," said Joiner.

They also both said that they would like to see research expanded but not at the peril of education or student activities.

"Research and education cannot be separated," Jalife said.

Both Joiner and Jalife have research-focused backgrounds which worries some students and faculty.

Students at the forums were concerned that student activities and support groups would be put on the back burner.

While, a lack of emphasis on merit raises and other incentives for educators were the main anxieties of faculty.

However, Woosley believes that selecting a candidate with a strong research focus wouldn't hurt the university because the money brought in by research helps to fund education.

"All three are absolutely world class candidates," said Woosley, of the three candidates chosen by a committee of 20 students,

faculty, diversity representatives, executive search team members and community representatives.

President Peter Likins, Executive Vice President and Provost George Davis and Woosley will make the final decision in the dean search.

"We are in the end stages in the search for the dean of medicine," said Davis, stating that he is ready to complete the search and move forward.

Former UA Medical Dean James E. Dalen made $360,000 a year, according to Woosley.

Community, faculty and student feedback can be sent to deancand@email.arizona.edu.