Roemer Tops List Of New IOP Fellows

Former Louisiana Gov. Buddy E. Roemer '64 heads the list of six fellows named by the Kennedy School of Government's Institute of Politics (IOP) for the spring term.

Among the other fellows chosen were Thomas D'Amore Jr., former chief of staff for Connecticut Gov. Lowell P. Weicker; John Hart, a NBC News correspondent; and William Hudnut III, who was mayor of Indianapolis from 1967 to 1991.

Yelena Khanga, a former Soviet television commentator, and Betsey Wright, a former chair of the Arkansas Democratic party who once served as chief of staff for Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton, complete the list of fellows.

Charles T. Royer, director of the IOP, said the fellowship program aims to "select people who will bring significant experience from the political sector" and who will "inspire students to get into politics."

Roemer, who served three terms as a Democratic U.S. representative before switching parties as governor, said last week that he hopes "to attract and interest students looking out of one eye at public service."

"I am hoping to be a small part of a big idea," he said.

A graduate of Harvard College and the Harvard Business School, Roemer said his major function as a fellow will be "to listen to students, which is more powerful than speaking and is the first part of teaching."

Roemer said he plans to lead a non-credit IOP study group that will focus on "the pain and pleasure of public service."

Another fellow, Khanga, came to the U.S. in 1987 to write for the Christian Science Monitor in Boston. She was the first Soviet journalist in recent years to be invited to work with an American newspaper.

Hoping to share her insight on the state of the former Soviet Union, Khanga said she is "really interested in how the Soviets will adapt psychologically and what will happen in the short run."

"It is easy to change prices but very difficult to change people's minds," Khanga said.

Khanga plans to lecture on military questions, foreign policies, changing economic systems and public sentiment in the former Soviet states.

Student Advisory Committee Chair Ross A. Garon '92 said he was pleased with the fellow selections.

"Wright is hip with what's going on in the presidential campaign and is aware of the necessity for restructuring the Democratic party," Garon said.

He added that D'Amore is wellequipped to address dissatisfaction with the two-party system and to discuss the emergence of third-party politics.