PBHA To Hold Rally In Yard

In what may set the stage for a heated feud this fall, the Phillips Brooks House Association (PBHA) will sponsor a demonstration in front of University Hall tomorrow to show the administration the extent of its support in the community and at Harvard.

The demonstration, which PBHA officers are calling a "celebration rally," will bring together volunteers, city officials, members of the Harvard community, parents and children who have been involved in summer activities.

"It's a positive day that has an undertone of concern for the future of the programs," said PBHA Treasurer Andrew J. Ehrlich '96.

Planned speakers include City Councillor Francis H. Duehay '55, PBHA President Vincent Pan '95-'96 and students volunteering at the Mission Hill program.

Organizers are hoping that between 200 and 300 people will attend.

Relations between the University and PBHA have grown strained over the past year. PBHA members have accusedthe University of robbing the organization of itsindependence, through both the creation of a newdean for public service and a failure toadequately consider student input.

University officials say the new position isintended to be one of support and should not beviewed as an attempt to "micromanage" theorganization.

PBHA representatives and various administratorshave has held a series of meetings this summerwhere students have aired their concerns.

"I think the students have been working very,very hard to create the dialogue in good faith,"Pan said. "I think we're working very hard tocreate a productive dialogue or conversation thatis serious, where there is a real exchange ofideas and not token gestures of input."

"This work is important to a lot of differentpeople," he said. "Sometimes in the haste ofrestructuring and bureaucratic confusions we mayforget about these things."

PBHA's objections have caught the attention ofseveral city officials.

In his address tomorrow, Duehay will "expressmy concern that the University administration beas sensitive as possible to the depth and qualityof the program the Phillips Brooks House runs bothin the summer and during the term as they moveforward to making critical decisions about theleadership," the city councillor said.

"I think the College students are veryconcerned about whether the administrationcompletely understands the quality of the work andthe importance of the work that goes on in thecommunity," Duehay continued. "I'm going to thankPhillips Brooks House for the...critical work thatthey do and assert my confidence in the program."

Pan said he would "speak about why publicservice is important to the community at large andthe Harvard community," as well as the role ofpublic service as an "educational experience."

Ehrlich added that the tone of the rally willnot be antagonistic.

"It's a celebration of the end of successfulsummer," he said.

The rally will be held at 1:15 p.m. tomorrow

University officials say the new position isintended to be one of support and should not beviewed as an attempt to "micromanage" theorganization.

PBHA representatives and various administratorshave has held a series of meetings this summerwhere students have aired their concerns.

"I think the students have been working very,very hard to create the dialogue in good faith,"Pan said. "I think we're working very hard tocreate a productive dialogue or conversation thatis serious, where there is a real exchange ofideas and not token gestures of input."

"This work is important to a lot of differentpeople," he said. "Sometimes in the haste ofrestructuring and bureaucratic confusions we mayforget about these things."

PBHA's objections have caught the attention ofseveral city officials.

In his address tomorrow, Duehay will "expressmy concern that the University administration beas sensitive as possible to the depth and qualityof the program the Phillips Brooks House runs bothin the summer and during the term as they moveforward to making critical decisions about theleadership," the city councillor said.

"I think the College students are veryconcerned about whether the administrationcompletely understands the quality of the work andthe importance of the work that goes on in thecommunity," Duehay continued. "I'm going to thankPhillips Brooks House for the...critical work thatthey do and assert my confidence in the program."

Pan said he would "speak about why publicservice is important to the community at large andthe Harvard community," as well as the role ofpublic service as an "educational experience."

Ehrlich added that the tone of the rally willnot be antagonistic.

"It's a celebration of the end of successfulsummer," he said.

The rally will be held at 1:15 p.m. tomorrow