CASTEEN TO RECOMMEND DR. CANTRELL AS VICE PRESIDENT
AND PROVOST FOR U.VA. HEALTH SCIENCES

	CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA., Nov. 9 -- University of Virginia
President John T. Casteen III announced today that he will recommend
to the University's Board of Visitors at its meeting Saturday that
it confirm the appointment of Dr. Robert W. Cantrell to a five-year
term as vice president and provost for health sciences.
	Dr. Cantrell has served as interim vice president and
provost since January 1995, when the then-vice president and
provost, Dr. Don E. Detmer, began a one-year sabbatical leave.
Casteen announced last month that Dr. Detmer will become senior vice
president with responsibilities for national health policy matters
and health informatics when he returns from leave in January 1996.
	Dr. Cantrell, who has served on the UniversityÕs medical
faculty since 1976, is Fitz-Hugh Professor of Otolaryngology and
chairman of the department of otolaryngology--head and neck
surgery.  An internationally known expert on malignant tumors of the
nose and sinuses, he received the Triological Society's Harris P.
Moser Award, one of the highest honors in his field, for research on
the effects of noise on humans.  Prior to becoming interim vice
president and provost, Dr. Cantrell headed the University's planning
efforts with regard to expansion of ambulatory care activities.
       During the past year, Dr. Cantrell has been actively involved
in the development of Central Virginia's QualChoice program, in
joint ventures to create hospital networks and in efforts to
strengthen the University's programs in nursing, medicine and basic
research.
	Hovey Dabney, rector of the UniversityÕs Board of Visitors,
said of Dr. Cantrell that "he has been a real joy to work with
during these last several months, not least because he has brought a
sound vision and great human depth to some of the hardest issues
academic medical centers have ever faced.  My fellow board members
and I think we are fortunate to have Dr. Cantrell accept this
position at this time.  We look forward to working with him."
	President Casteen made the appointment following
consultation with an advisory committee chaired by B. Jeanette
Lancaster, dean of the University's School of Nursing.  This
committee, which included senior faculty from a variety of
departments within the Health Sciences Center, held public forums at
which employees were invited to comment, held separate sessions for
administrative leaders who work regularly with the vice president
and provost, and solicited advice from individual employees,
students, and others.
        President Casteen acknowledged the unusual circumstances
that led the committee to recommend appointing Dr. Cantrell now
rather than conducting an extended search.  "We learned from the
committee that employees and others within the Health Sciences
Center believe that it is essential to stay the course in this era
of rapid, often erratic change in the climate in which academic
medical centers operate,Ó Casteen said.  ÒThe support for appointing
Dr. Cantrell now and not losing momentum during a search that can
easily take two years was widespread and deep.
	"We conducted an extensive search within the Health Sciences
Center before naming Dr. Cantrell to the interim post.  What the
committee learned is that those who have worked with him every day
see this appointment as essential at this time."
	Dr. Charles M. Caravati, Jr., chair of the board's health
affairs committee, remarked that the demands of the job have grown
substantially in recent years.  "With the environment changing so
rapidly, neither the University nor the Commonwealth of Virginia can
afford not to have the competencies Dr. Cantrell brings to overall
leadership for the Health Sciences Center and Dr. Detmer brings to
the national health policy arena and to health informatics.  And the
same reasoning makes us see the appointments of these two leaders to
major posts in such an exciting time as a plus for everyone."
        President Casteen also noted that these two appointments
complete a restructuring of leadership in the Health Sciences
Center.  "We have realized that what was once a single job is no
longer that.  The stakes are too high now for administration in the
old style to satisfy the UniversityÕs and the state's needs.
	"Each in his own area of activity, Drs. Cantrell and Detmer
face tremendous challenges.  I for one am grateful for what has been
accomplished and confident about what will be.  Dr. Cantrell's
appointment brings completion to a great medical team.Ó
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November 9, 1995