The UW School of Law has been under the leadership of Interim Dean Gregory Hicks for the past 19 months as the selection committee continued its search for a new dean. But on Dec. 23, the University of New Mexico (UNM) School of Law named Hicks one of four finalists for its open dean position.

Just two weeks later, the UW released its own list of four finalists, one of whom who could potentially replace Hicks as permanent dean of the UW School of Law.

The four finalists will make campus visits, starting this week with Jim Chen, dean of the Louis D. Brandeis School of Law at University of Louisville, who will give a public presentation today at 3:30 p.m. in William H. Gates Hall,

room 133.

The other three finalists are Lawrence Gostin, associate dean at Georgetown University Law Center; Patricia White, dean emerita at Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University; and Kellye Testy, law school dean at Seattle University.

Currently ranked No. 30 in the nation by U.S. News and World Report, the UW School of Law has encountered roadblocks in its search for a permanent dean.

W.H. “Joe” Knight Jr., dean of the School of Law from 2001 to June 2007, left his position amid performance complaints. His resignation followed an ethics complaint filed with the state Executive Ethics Board in which Knight was accused of using his UW e-mail address to carry out business related to his position at State Farm Insurance.

Since his resignation, the UW has put together an advisory search committee to help recommend qualified candidates to the UW’s provost and president. On Jan. 22, 2008, the committee named Hicks among four finalists. In the campus interviews that followed, Mary Anne Bobinski, dean and professor at the University of British Columbia’s law school, was chosen as dean. However, she declined the position for personal reasons.

“The candidates who were behind [Bobinski] were a good distance behind her,” UW President Mark Emmert told The Daily in October 2008. “None of us felt that those were the candidates we wanted to hire.”

It was no surprise, then, that Hicks wasn’t named one of the four finalists visiting campus this week.

“We have a very rich pool of candidates and I think people will be very excited by the candidates that come to campus,” said Matthew O’Donnell, chair of the search committee and dean of the College of Engineering. He said that more than 100 candidates were reviewed.

The campus interviews will include opportunities for the public — including students, faculty, staff and administrators — to speak with candidates. Each candidate will give a presentation and hold a public forum.

Current frustration about the long process has put pressure on the committee to get a dean in place as soon as possible, especially since permanent deans are more capable of long-term goals and planning.

“I think that a lot of the students feel that the transition certainly gives people the impression that there is a lack of transparency,” said Andrew Gardner, who, as a second-year law student, has yet to see a dean. “This reflects poorly on the administration.”

The new dean will serve as chief administrative and academic officer of the law school and be responsible for moving toward progress and innovation, managing funds and working with external stakeholders as well as schools and colleges within the UW.

Reach reporter Emily Lee at news@dailyuw.com.