Reflects quality of choice, national competition between schools for top leaders

After an extensive search following Mark Zupan's departure in January 2004, the Eller College of Management last week finally announced its new dean. Paul Portney, the president of Resources for the Future, an independent think tank in Washington, D.C., will take over for interim Dean Ken Smith in July.

The choice has pleased those familiar with the decision. Current administrators note his vision and experience. Besides heading Resources for the Future, he worked as an aide for Jimmy Carter and taught at Berkeley and Princeton. His presence alone should add prestige to a college already ranked the 20th-best business school.

Perhaps more impressively for such an image-oriented college, however, Portney has managed to impress academics and professors. His substantial research background and ability to convey the importance of research show Eller's academic ambitions.

But what has generated more attention is Portney's gaudy salary: $400,000 annually plus $30,000 for housing and a $6,500 automobile allowance. Some are crying foul, saying that the money should be used for faculty retention rather than padding the top. With a student-to-faculty ratio of roughly 50-to-1 and an extensive system of class restrictions limiting student options, Eller indeed has other areas in need of improvement.

However, look at the salary for a minute not as a choice but as reality. The premium on leaders in academia has dramatically increased in recent years, especially in business, medical and law schools. With the emphasis placed on rankings and the importance of leadership in achieving high rankings, getting someone of Portney's caliber was a top priority for the college.

Moreover, applaud the college and its donors for their willingness to contribute private funds. The university will be paying only $260,000 of the salary, not unreasonably more than other deans make. The rest will be paid by a group of private donors. If this group feels an elite dean is worth the money, let them pay for it.

But when Portney takes over for the next school year, the challenge to see if he's worth it begins. He must take a college criticized for isolating itself from the university, and as he says he will, work carefully with various groups campuswide. The potential to take advantage of Eller's prestige and financial prowess are significant.

Nationwide, the emphasis on business school rankings has pressured schools to create new programs and hire top people. This competition has driven up salaries for top job candidates such as Portney. But unlike in so many other instances at the UA, Eller didn't fall victim to the "brain drain." On the contrary, they attracted a top notch dean. They paid handsomely for it, sure. But let's allow the focus to be on the man, not the money.

Opinions are determined by the Wildcat opinions board and written by one of its members. They are Evan Caravelli, Brett Fera, Caitlin Hall, Ryan Johnson and Jesse Lewis.