HRC Speaks Against PBHA

The Harvard Republican Club (HRC) supports the appointment of Judith Kidd as new Assistant Dean of Public Service and opposes Philip Brooks House's (PBH) move toward independence, according to a resolution passed by the club last Thursday.

The resolution questions the Phillips Brooks House Association's (PBHA) ability to maintain its existing community service programs without financial support from the University.

The policy statement, written by HRC President Jay Dickerson '98 and members of the executive board, made it clear that, while HRC supports community service at Harvard and the general spirit of PBHA's student rally last Thursday, it does not support the motivations behind PBHA's decision to seek greater financial autonomy.

Following Kidd's appointment, PBHA voted to raise funds to hire its own staff.

"[The decision] is not in the best interest of the people PBH serves," said Brian F. Malone '96, vice president of HRC.

PBHA held a rally last Thursday to voice its opposition to Kidd's appointment by Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis '68, The appointment will eliminate the positions of two PBH senior staff members.

PBHA members criticized the HRC resolution yesterday. Some HRC members also expressed opposition to the resolution.

The money PBH would spend on support staff and housing if it became independent--expenses presently covered by Harvard--would be taken away from community service programs, Malone said.

"It is unfair to the donors and to the people that [PBH] serves," he said.

The HRC also cited problems within PBH that it said it believes could become worse if the organization was not under some administrative control.

"It seems to us that there is no administrative oversight concerning how donor's money is spent," Dickerson wrote. "This problem would obviously become more acute if PBHA were to gain autonomy from the University."

"If PBHA does gain autonomy, the HRC urges all prospective donors to give their money to a more responsible public service organization," the statement said.

HRC members also support Lewis's appointment of Kidd, who they said they feel is adequately experienced for her new position.

"We support Dean Kidd and hope that she is given the chance to prove herself," Dickerson wrote.

In response to HRC's policy statements, PBHA President Vincent Pan '95-'96 said he felt that many of the statements were uninformed.

Pan said the University monitors the association's revenues closely.

"There are adequate systems in place regarding fiscal responsibility," he said. "Enough to satisfy all regulators."

Pan pointed out that PBHA's main concern is the release of two senior staff members--Greg A. Johnson '72, PBH executive director, and Gail L. Johnson, director of the Office of Public Service--rather than the specific appointment of Kidd.

Pan added that PBHA did oppose Lewis's choice because Kidd was the last option for many of those who interviewed her.

Pan added that the HRC statement did not focus on the most important issues concerning students right now.

"It is absolutely essential that student voice be taken seriously to reach a mutually-agreeable outcome," he said.

Pan said PBHA is presently forming plans for the future and that HRC's statement is premature. He invited HRC and anyone else to discuss these issues with the board of directors.

"I would hope in the future that Dickerson or any members of the club would speak to [PBHA] leadership about offering suggestions publicly in order to make informed policy statements," Pan said. "It's irresponsible not for them to do so."

HRC's resolution did not meet with approval from all of its members. Wesley B. Gilchrist '97-'98, who drafted the original statement for the HRC executive board, said he felt the board's final policy statement did not fully appreciate the spirit of PBH's rally.

"One of the rally's main purposes is to support students and get student input on administrative decisions affecting students," he said.

"The resolution that [the executive board] passed was against the spirit that PBH wanted for the rally," he said, adding that the statement minimized the goals of the rally and instead used the opportunity to criticize PBHA.

Malone said that although HRC wants to encourage some of the goals of the rally, the executive board felt that it had to make all of its opinions known.

"We felt as a board that it was our responsibility to make this public, because no one else was saying these things," Malone said. "These are important points and really ought to be heard.

The money PBH would spend on support staff and housing if it became independent--expenses presently covered by Harvard--would be taken away from community service programs, Malone said.

"It is unfair to the donors and to the people that [PBH] serves," he said.

The HRC also cited problems within PBH that it said it believes could become worse if the organization was not under some administrative control.

"It seems to us that there is no administrative oversight concerning how donor's money is spent," Dickerson wrote. "This problem would obviously become more acute if PBHA were to gain autonomy from the University."

"If PBHA does gain autonomy, the HRC urges all prospective donors to give their money to a more responsible public service organization," the statement said.

HRC members also support Lewis's appointment of Kidd, who they said they feel is adequately experienced for her new position.

"We support Dean Kidd and hope that she is given the chance to prove herself," Dickerson wrote.

In response to HRC's policy statements, PBHA President Vincent Pan '95-'96 said he felt that many of the statements were uninformed.

Pan said the University monitors the association's revenues closely.

"There are adequate systems in place regarding fiscal responsibility," he said. "Enough to satisfy all regulators."

Pan pointed out that PBHA's main concern is the release of two senior staff members--Greg A. Johnson '72, PBH executive director, and Gail L. Johnson, director of the Office of Public Service--rather than the specific appointment of Kidd.

Pan added that PBHA did oppose Lewis's choice because Kidd was the last option for many of those who interviewed her.

Pan added that the HRC statement did not focus on the most important issues concerning students right now.

"It is absolutely essential that student voice be taken seriously to reach a mutually-agreeable outcome," he said.

Pan said PBHA is presently forming plans for the future and that HRC's statement is premature. He invited HRC and anyone else to discuss these issues with the board of directors.

"I would hope in the future that Dickerson or any members of the club would speak to [PBHA] leadership about offering suggestions publicly in order to make informed policy statements," Pan said. "It's irresponsible not for them to do so."

HRC's resolution did not meet with approval from all of its members. Wesley B. Gilchrist '97-'98, who drafted the original statement for the HRC executive board, said he felt the board's final policy statement did not fully appreciate the spirit of PBH's rally.

"One of the rally's main purposes is to support students and get student input on administrative decisions affecting students," he said.

"The resolution that [the executive board] passed was against the spirit that PBH wanted for the rally," he said, adding that the statement minimized the goals of the rally and instead used the opportunity to criticize PBHA.

Malone said that although HRC wants to encourage some of the goals of the rally, the executive board felt that it had to make all of its opinions known.

"We felt as a board that it was our responsibility to make this public, because no one else was saying these things," Malone said. "These are important points and really ought to be heard.