Eliot, Leverett House Superintendents Plan Retirement

The pending retirements of the superintendent of Leverett House and the superintendent and senior tutor of Eliot House will leave a hole in house life, students say.

P. Warren Nugent, the Leverett House superintendent will be retiring from the position he has held for 13 years.

After a tenure of eight years at Eliot House, and 20 at Harvard, Henry L. Slonina, better known to residents as "Hank," is also planning to retire.

Both say their experience working at Harvard has been positive.

"It's been a super 13 years," Nugent said. "Harvard is a great place to work, no matter what everyone says. The complainers are the ones who've never worked out in the real world."

"[Nugent] is the best; he never yells, he just explains when you do something wrong and has so much knowledge," said Millard Klinke, one of the workers in Leverett House.

Slonina started as a casual custodian at Eliot in 1976. While he's worked other jobs around Harvard, he said he always ended up coming back to Eliot House.

"I started it at Eliot House, I'm going to end it at Eliot House," said Slonina.

During his two decades at Harvard, he has attended all but one of the Evening with Champions figure skating benefits sponsored by Eliot House.

"It's a very big thing for the house and the students," he said. "I've always had a good relationship with the students."

Students in Eliot House said that Slonina is always ready to lend a helping hand. Daniel P. Kim '97 complimented Slonina on his help when Kim was temporarily disabled by tendinitis.

"He really went out of his way to make doors handicapped accessible so that I would not further injure myself," said Kim.

Elizabeth Minott '82, the Allston Burr Senior Tutor of Eliot House will also be leaving the position she has held for three years at the end of the summer, forsaking Harvard for Georgetown, where she will study international law.

"I've had just a superb experience," Minott said. "It's given me the opportunity to meet almost all the students in the house. I've been very impressed with not just their academic qualities, but their character qualities as well."

Minott particularly praises the house masters, Steven A. Mitchell and Kristine L. Forsgard, for improving Eliot House life.

"They're very involved, very active and have really changed the house since they took over," she said.

Those who have worked closely with Minott praise her for her concern about the students in the house.

"She's done a wonderful job especially relating with the students who slip through the cracks here at Harvard. When a student does need help through some rough sports, Elizabeth is there to help them through the rough spots," resident tutor David D. Kane said.

--C. R. McFadden contributed to the reporting of this story.

Elizabeth Minott '82, the Allston Burr Senior Tutor of Eliot House will also be leaving the position she has held for three years at the end of the summer, forsaking Harvard for Georgetown, where she will study international law.

"I've had just a superb experience," Minott said. "It's given me the opportunity to meet almost all the students in the house. I've been very impressed with not just their academic qualities, but their character qualities as well."

Minott particularly praises the house masters, Steven A. Mitchell and Kristine L. Forsgard, for improving Eliot House life.

"They're very involved, very active and have really changed the house since they took over," she said.

Those who have worked closely with Minott praise her for her concern about the students in the house.

"She's done a wonderful job especially relating with the students who slip through the cracks here at Harvard. When a student does need help through some rough sports, Elizabeth is there to help them through the rough spots," resident tutor David D. Kane said.

--C. R. McFadden contributed to the reporting of this story.