PBHA Declares Freeze on Additions

A temporary moratorium has been declared on all programs wishing to join Phillips Brooks House Association (PBHA), Harvard's largest volunteer organization.

PBHA is currently examining its internal resources, including finances and the volunteer composition of its 49 student-run programs. During that process, no new programs can come under its auspices.

The moratorium was passed by the PBHA board last fall, said Program Chair Rebecca E. Stich '98.

The temporary hiatus should not last "more than several weeks" longer, according to PBHA President Roy E. Bahat '98.

According to Stich, only one service group, the newly chartered Harvard-Radcliffe Little People (HRLP), has been affected by the decision.

"We're working with at least one other student who wants to start a service program," Stich said.

HRLP founders Chandler F. Arnold '98 and Elizabeth A. Haynes '98 said that they wanted to be part of PBHA but were unable to join because of the moratorium.

"We originally approached PBHA about the possibility of working as a subgroup of PBHA; but at that time, they weren't expanding," Arnold said.

"We eventually decided that we would be our own program although we [would] still work with [Assistant Dean of Public Service] Judith Kidd," he added.

During discussions, Haynes said, PBHA's then-vice president, Hahrie C. Han '97, attributed the moratorium to the organization's tight finances. "Hahrie said that PBHA was not accepting any new programs because of a constraint of resources they were going through," said Haynes. "I figured that this went hand-in-hand with their bid for autonomy."

While PBHA considered passing the moratorium last spring, the actual policy was not passed until the fall.

A lack of financial, physical and human resources available at PBHA was the impetus for the action, according to Stich.

"There had been concern about whether there were resources to support new committees and the committees which existed already, for them to provide really good service," Stich said.

Although a policy for establishing new committees was passed last December, no provisions were made to enlarge already existing groups in PBHA.

Only when plans are made to meet the needs of expanding organizations will the moratorium be lifted, according to Stich.

Until then, those who apply for PBHA affiliation cannot be given official notice of acceptance

"There had been concern about whether there were resources to support new committees and the committees which existed already, for them to provide really good service," Stich said.

Although a policy for establishing new committees was passed last December, no provisions were made to enlarge already existing groups in PBHA.

Only when plans are made to meet the needs of expanding organizations will the moratorium be lifted, according to Stich.

Until then, those who apply for PBHA affiliation cannot be given official notice of acceptance