Students Press For Inclusive Dean Search

As the search for a successor to Dean of the College L. Fred Jewett '57 continues, student leaders are expressing concern over the future structure of Harvard College.

This September, a committee set up by Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) Jeremy R. Knowles released the Report on the Structure of Harvard College. The report recommended several options for restructuring the College and the deanship.

The report presented three options for Knowles to consider.

The first option would keep the roles of Dean of the College and Dean for Undergraduate Education essentially unchanged. A second option would combine the two posts into one office, while creating new assistant deans to alleviate administrative overload.

A third option would radically restructure the FAS. All of the resources for undergraduates, graduates, and faculty would come under the purview of three to four "area academic deans."

Several student leaders said they were apprehensive about the third option.

"My trepidation would be that there would be more people to deal with," said Raza President Xavier Gutierrez '95. "When you decentralize you have a problem of account-ability."

"I personally would endorse the two-dean configuration," said Undergraduate Council President David L. Hanselman '94-'95.

Jennifer Ching '96, co-president of the Asian American Association, said that a radical restructuring of the FAS should address issues other than the administrative structure of the Col-

lege, particularly those involving race and diversity of the faculty and the curriculum.

"I was very saddened to see the office for race relations closed at the beginning of last year," Ching said. "I feel there hasn't been an attempt to replace that, and there has been no effort to convince students that [the post] is a priority for the administration."

Knowles is also considering the possibility of appointing a senior faculty member to the new Dean of the College position. But Hanselman said he opposes the idea.

"It seems to me that the Harvard administration is a decision making body that has to deal with the interests of the students and of the faculty," Hanselman said. "Having a faculty member as dean might lead to a little imbalance."

But Moon Duchin '97, co-chair of the Bisexual Gay and Lesbian Student Association, said she sees potential benefits in appointing a member of the faculty to the post.

"I think the idea of bringing a professor into the position would be a good idea," Duchin said. "Too wide a gulf exists between the faculty and the administration."

Some student leaders say their greatest concern is ensuring that students won't be shut out of the selection process. Ching said she didn't even know a search was being conducted.

"If they are planning on restructuring FAS," Ching said, "they should have made student groups more aware."

But most agreed that accessibility to students would be the litmus test for any new dean, regardless of the structure Knowles chooses to adopt.

"It's my opinion that whatever structure Dean Knowles selects," Hanselman said, "the new dean has to be accessible to the students. As [U.C.] president I would do everything I could to ensure that."

Knowles circulated a memo in the search for a new dean to the Faculty Council last week. In the memo he stated that he would most likely decide on the future structure of the College by November 15th

lege, particularly those involving race and diversity of the faculty and the curriculum.

"I was very saddened to see the office for race relations closed at the beginning of last year," Ching said. "I feel there hasn't been an attempt to replace that, and there has been no effort to convince students that [the post] is a priority for the administration."

Knowles is also considering the possibility of appointing a senior faculty member to the new Dean of the College position. But Hanselman said he opposes the idea.

"It seems to me that the Harvard administration is a decision making body that has to deal with the interests of the students and of the faculty," Hanselman said. "Having a faculty member as dean might lead to a little imbalance."

But Moon Duchin '97, co-chair of the Bisexual Gay and Lesbian Student Association, said she sees potential benefits in appointing a member of the faculty to the post.

"I think the idea of bringing a professor into the position would be a good idea," Duchin said. "Too wide a gulf exists between the faculty and the administration."

Some student leaders say their greatest concern is ensuring that students won't be shut out of the selection process. Ching said she didn't even know a search was being conducted.

"If they are planning on restructuring FAS," Ching said, "they should have made student groups more aware."

But most agreed that accessibility to students would be the litmus test for any new dean, regardless of the structure Knowles chooses to adopt.

"It's my opinion that whatever structure Dean Knowles selects," Hanselman said, "the new dean has to be accessible to the students. As [U.C.] president I would do everything I could to ensure that."

Knowles circulated a memo in the search for a new dean to the Faculty Council last week. In the memo he stated that he would most likely decide on the future structure of the College by November 15th