September 14, 2007

Longtime Admissions Dean at Penn Resigns Abruptly; Onetime Civil-Rights Litigant Will Help U. of Tennessee Diversify; Oliver Sacks Joins Columbia U.

By ELIZABETH FARRELL and SARA HEBEL

PUZZLING EXIT: The autumn of Willis J. (Lee) Stetson's career at the University of Pennsylvania arrived a year earlier than expected.

Mr. Stetson, who had been dean of admissions at the Ivy League institution for 29 years, abruptly resigned August 31, even though he had said he would not retire until next June. Mr. Stetson could not be reached for comment, and a spokeswoman for the university refused to offer any explanation for his departure.

Penn's president, Amy Gutmann, was