With Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome outbreaks headlining
newspapers around the world, Anthony Fauci, one of the world's
leading experts on diseases and bioterrorism, still intends to take
a day off from battling the outbreaks to speak at Commencement.

Fauci, one of four honorary degree recipients this year, is
director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious
Diseases at the National Institutes of Health in Maryland. He is an
expert on bioterrorism, HIV and AIDS and has made numerous
contributions to disease research and treatment.

Thomas Lawley, dean of the Medical School, nominated Fauci for
the honorary degree.

"Dr. Fauci is one of the most outstanding and influential
scientists in the world," Lawley said. "He has played a key role
both scientifically and administratively in the fight against
HIV/AIDS. He has also been at the forefront in shaping U.S. policy
regarding our response to biological terrorism."

The award will be Fauci's 25th honorary degree from universities
in the United States and abroad. But Fauci said the 24 other
degrees he has received do not diminish the significance of a
degree from Emory.

"[Emory] is one of the most outstanding universities in the
nation," Fauci said, calling between conferences with the White
House, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of
Health and Human Services. "It is such a great honor to receive an
honorary degree from Emory and I look forward to the ceremony."

Fauci deals directly with President George W. Bush, Vice
President Dick Cheney, Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge and
Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson, particularly
since the emergence of SARS, which has spread to Canada but is not
widespread in the United States.

Fauci also has several significant ties to Emory, including
20-year connections with some of Emory's faculty members, like Dean
of the Rollins School of Public Health James Curran.

"I have worked closely with Fauci for years," Curran said. "He
has been a frequent leader in the Atlanta area and has always been
so accommodating, brilliant and tireless. It is such an honor for
us to honor him."

Fauci is responsible for the $4 billion budget proposed by Bush
in 2003 for research related to AIDS, bioterrorism, autoimmune
disorders, allergies and other diseases. Fauci is also responsible
for the funding of tens of millions of dollars in research funds,
which he intends to devote to research directed at Emory in the
area of infectious and immune diseases.

Fauci oversees research at the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, advising the government on bioterrorism policies. He
also maintains constant contact with the recently established
Southeastern Center for Emerging Biological Threats, which holds a
partnership with Emory.

In 2001, Fauci was the graduation speaker for the School of
Medicine.

David Stephens, executive director of SECEBT and executive vice
chair of the Department of Medicine, said he believes Fauci was
nominated for "his national and international leadership as well as
his scientific accomplishments in immunology and infectious
diseases."

Judith Raggi Moore, who chairs the Honorary Degree Committee,
said Fauci was chosen for more than just these accomplishments.

"His being a role model as well as a teacher -- this was
something we wanted our students to share in," Raggi Moore said.
"He has always been patient-oriented -- the human who takes
interest in the victims of AIDS, not just the bacteria of the
disease. He sees the humans afflicted by illness. He works with
them on a personal level. We had a lot of nominations for
researchers, but it's the human side of him that we wanted to
stress That's what most impressed us."

The University looks to award scholars whose message would be
appropriate and timely for the student body. Raggi Moore said Fauci
is a "stellar role model" for undergraduates who aspire to a
medical career.

The selection committee was impressed by Fauci's role as a
global leader in the fight against AIDS.

"He is such an inspiring scientist and public servant," Curran
said. "Our University is very involved in health sciences and
public health. I was very pleased to hear that someone in health
sciences was being recognized."

Fauci said it is a privilege for students to have the
opportunity to study at Emory. Not wanting to give away his
projected Commencement speech, he added briefly, "with this
privilege comes responsibility, and I hope students would assume
that responsibility to continue to strive for excellence after
graduation."

Curran said he thought students would be able to relate to Fauci
more personally. "He's from Brooklyn and there are loads of New
Yorkers at Emory," he said.

Interim Dean of the College Robert Paul wants Emory to be
recognized as the best undergraduate liberal arts college in a
"Tier One" research institution.

One of three finalists for the permanent College deanship, Paul
spoke to a group of 10 students in the Dobbs University Center over
lunch Tuesday. Paul said Emory could soon reach his goal.

"Other places try to be the best, but we have a quality of
teaching that is a cut above what one encounters elsewhere," Paul
said. "The ethos of the faculty is really putting themselves out
for the students."

The other two finalists are Bernadette Gray-Little, an
administrator at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,
and William Brustein, a professor of sociology at the University of
Pittsburgh. Both candidates visited campus earlier this month.

If selected as permanent dean, Paul said he intends to hire more
faculty and increase student financial aid.

As interim dean, Paul spent much of the past year planning a
large capital campaign to fundraise for such ventures.

"We give a lot of financial aid, but we can do better," Paul
said. "My long-term goal is no student should leave Emory feeling
burdened with debt."

Paul said he also hopes to work with Dean of Campus Life John
Ford to strengthen academic advising.

"I would like to shift the focus of advising from 'Here are the
GER requirements and the major requirements' to more of a mentoring
system," Paul said.

Paul anticipates that the establishment of a sophomore residency
requirement, beginning with the class of 2008, will provide more
opportunities for faculty and undergraduate students to come
together.

At his meeting with students, Paul emphasized his connections to
and familiarity with Emory.

Paul has been a professor at Emory since 1977 and helped
establish the University's anthropology department. He directed the
Institute of Liberal Arts for nine years.

Before becoming interim dean of the College two years ago, Paul
was dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

"These past two years have been odd because most of the
administrative posts have been temporary, plus the University and
entire country are in an economic crisis that has placed on us
constraints never felt by Emory," Paul said. "When I came in, the
first letter I got was to propose a three percent cut to the
budget. My job was to maintain stability and to keep forward motion
of the University in difficult times."

Paul said the economic crunch has not diminished the quality of
Emory students but has made the job of recruiting and retaining
faculty particularly challenging.

College junior Melanie Clouser said Paul was very open to
communication with students.

"He has a lot of experience, but more importantly, he seems to
be willing to listen students," Clouser said. "That's important in
any leader."

Student Government Association Executive Vice President Jimin
Kim said Paul seemed prepared to take on the permanent
deanship.

"Dean Paul has a great deal of commitment to Emory and is very
knowledgeable about the workings of the school," Kim said. "His
involvement with students has proven his incredible dedication to
the student body."

Elaine Walker, who chairs the College dean search committee,
said the committee will meet Monday and Tuesday to discuss their
impressions of the candidates and will give its recommendation to
University President William M. Chace next week.

Chace said he will not impose an artificial deadline on naming a
new dean, but that the selection process will be completed
"expeditiously."

"You can never tell how long it will take, but I assure you
there will be no dilly-dallying, tarrying or lolly gagging in any
way," Chace said.

Grad dean to leave Emory

Gary Wihl, acting dean of the Graduate School of Arts and
Sciences, told the Wheel Tuesday that another school is in the
process of "recruiting" him and that he will likely leave Emory
before next semester.

Wihl came to the University two years ago and filled a vacancy
opened by Paul, who left to become the interim dean of the
College.

Two years ago, plans to merge the College and the Graduate
School were aborted after large protest from the faculty.

Wihl said he has enjoyed his time at Emory but declined to
discuss further his reasons for leaving or which school planned to
recruit him.

In Tuesday's discussion with students, Paul said if he is not
selected as dean of the College, he would likely return to his post
in the Graduate School.