Dunster Head Tutor Will Leave in Summer

Dunster House Senior Tutor Henriette L. Power announced in a letter to residents this week that she will resign at the end of this academic year.

Power said that although last spring's controversy over tutor hiring contributed to her decision to leave, she was resigning primarily for personal reasons.

"We have two kids," Power said, "and we are running out of room."

In addition, Power said, she would like to send her son, who starts kindergarten next year, to a public school, but she finds Cambridge's schools unsatisfactory.

Her resignation, effective July 1, also reflects a desire to spend more time with her family, Power said.

"After three-and-a-half years," she said in an interview, "it felt as if it was time to have a life not liable to be interrupted by students."

Power acknowledged that some of the controversy in Dunster House this past year made her "weary" and "sapped her enthusiasm."

Last spring, eight Dunster tutors alleged that Vincent W. Li '87, assistant senior tutor in charge of hiring, had improperly influenced House Master Karel F. Liem to hire Li's relatives and friends.

Liem has said that Li was immediately removed from the hiring process when his brother William W. Li '84, applied for the job. But Li attended one of his brother's student job interviews.

Tutors also charged that Li had influenced Liem to hire his girlfriend and a childhood friend.

Dunster residents then became involved in the process, circulating a petition calling for Li's resignation. Dean of the College L. Fred Jewett '57 investigated the charges over the summer, but found no proof of improper action.

When six tutors returned to Dun- ster in the fall, however, they found a letter,circulated by the Li brothers' lawyer. Itthreatened to file a libel suit if tutors took"any further actions to propagate false andprofessionally damaging information."

Liem expressed concern with the letter, andVincent Li was removed from the hiring committeethis fall.

Power said yesterday that her decision toresign "wasn't completely divorced from all of thecraziness that happened last spring."

Since the fall term, during which Power was onleave, the hiring controversy has quieted down,according to David Bear '92, a tutor who wascritical of Liem's handling of the controversy.

"There has been no open hostility [lately],"Bear said. "Things seem to be fairly peaceful.

Liem expressed concern with the letter, andVincent Li was removed from the hiring committeethis fall.

Power said yesterday that her decision toresign "wasn't completely divorced from all of thecraziness that happened last spring."

Since the fall term, during which Power was onleave, the hiring controversy has quieted down,according to David Bear '92, a tutor who wascritical of Liem's handling of the controversy.

"There has been no open hostility [lately],"Bear said. "Things seem to be fairly peaceful.