A candidate applying for dean of the Graduate School acknowledged weaknesses in the school on Tuesday, mentioning problems like low faculty-to-student ratio and low student diversity percentages. David Constant, candidate and Interim Director of the Graduate School, spoke at 1:30 p.m. in Dodson Auditorium on how his leadership will benefit the school if selected dean. “We’ve accomplished a lot over the past eight months,” said Constant.The Search Committee selected Constant and the other finalist, Patrick Hesp, Geography and Anthropology Department chair, from ten original applicants. The committee consists of six professors from different departments and the president of the International Student Association. Hesp will speak at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, March 4,  in Dodson Auditorium.”Administrative experience was first looked for in a candidate along with someone with a vision for the Graduate School during this dire financial time,” said Louis Day, alumni professor and chair of the Search Committee.Constant said they are trying to have 20 percent of graduate students ethnically diverse in the future.Another of Constant’s initiatives is to create relationships with possible employers of the University’s graduate students.”My assignment is to get out there and promote our programs,” Constant said.Despite weaknesses, Constant used the Common Data Set Initiative’s information to say the University’s graduate school is the most affordable compared to similar institutions.”We are the best deal in town,” Constant said.The Search Committee has posted an online assessment form that students and faculty may submit about each candidate.”They gave out paper surveys last year, and the online surveys will be better because only interested faculty and students will respond,” Day said.The Search Committee will send a memo to Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Astrid Merget explaining the strengths and weaknesses of both candidates after information is collected from the survey results.Merget will decide which candidate will become dean from the analysis, but no date is set for reaching the decision.”We are following basically the same protocol as we did last time a new dean was put in place,” Day said.Ryan Orgera, geography graduate student, is vice president of the Graduate Student Association.”We’ve really encouraged the students to go so we can put out a general consensus,” Orgera said.GSA members were present to hear Constant speak and to voice graduate student opinions.”We’re really interested in finding the candidate who can lead us through these budget cuts and who can guarantee fairness in administrating any such cuts,” Orgera said.When dealing with budget cuts, Constant said keeping the Flagship Agenda of the Graduate School will be a top priority.The previous dean, William Worger, was let go after eight months and was replaced by Constant in May 2009.Despite previous controversy about the sudden dismissal of Worger, Orgera said it’s not unusual for students to be uninformed of such occurrences.”I don’t think students are ever told why a dean is fired,” Orgera said.Electrical engineering graduate student Charisma Edwards said Worger was doing a good job.”He was making lots of positive changes and making the LSUGS more than just a place to go for logistics and formalities,” Edwards said.She said she wanted a better explanation for the sudden release.”Given that we, as graduate students, have been through so many deans and interim deans, we deserve to know something,” Edwards said.Editor’s note: Check Friday’s edition of The Daily Reveille for part two of this series on the search for a Graduate School dean.–Contact Mallory Logan at [email protected]