University Spokesperson Huppe to Step Down in May

Harvard's public face is about to change. Chief spokesperson Alex Huppe announced yesterday that he will leave the University in May for a position at an international public affairs firm.

Huppe, who came to Harvard in 1995, will become senior vice president at PSC International, a 10-year-old company that primarily represents the interests of African governments in the U.S. He will work out of the company's Boston office.

Huppe now serves Harvard as director of public affairs.

"I am not an expert in African affairs, but I do know the American media," Huppe said. "The potential is great there."

"There's a risk involved but I think it's a good time for me to do this," he added.

Huppe worked with PSC President Jasper K. Smith in the administration of Boston University's College of Communications before assuming a public relations position at Dartmouth College in the mid-1980s.

Huppe said he received PSC's offer last year, but opted to stay at Harvard until the News Office could prepare for his departure.

Huppe is not the first high-level official to leave the News Office in recent months. Former Vice President for Community, Government and Public Affairs James H. Rowe III '73, who was Huppe's boss, left Harvard last spring.

President Neil L. Rudenstine said yesterday that Rowe's successor, Paul S. Grogan, plans to restructure the News Office in the coming months.

"My intuition tells me we need to look at the structure to see if we're staffed right," Rudenstine said. "Some extra help will be needed."

And, as part of that restructuring, Huppe's position may be eliminated, according to Jane H. Corlette, associate vice president for government, community and public affairs.

For the time being, Assistant Director of News and Public Affairs Sally A. Baker will take over some of Huppe's duties.

Baker will be in charge of public relations for the Faculty of Arts and Science (FAS), Harvard's largest school and the only one with no press office of its own.

"FAS needs to create more of an ability to craft messages and manage the Dean's communication," Huppe said. "Everybody recognizes this is a problem--the Dean needs a voice."

He said FAS might create eventually decide to create its own news office.

According to Rudenstine, the duties of the News Office have changed dramatically over the past four years.

While at Harvard, Huppe helped launch several new programs in the News Office, including a Web site and thedistribution of news about science at Harvard tonewspapers around the country.

Other achievements of his tenure were theopening of the Harvard information center in theHolyoke Center arcade and the office's "hometownnews" program--which sends press releases aboutall incoming first-years to their localnewspapers.

"We used to just write the Gazette," Huppesaid.

He added that, at the beginning of his tenure,the office received complaints that Harvard wasunresponsive and didn't return phone calls.

"That is not said anymore," Huppe said.

Huppe said the advent of more electronic mediasources has posed additional challenges for hisoffice.

"The expectations have risen," Huppe said.

But during the same time the News Office hasreceived "only marginal" budget increases, hesaid.

In addition to his work at Harvard, Dartmouthand Boston University, Huppe taught at theUniversity of Virginia, where he completed hisdoctorate.

Joe Wrinn, who as director of the News Officehas worked closely with Huppe, said hisco-worker's departure is a loss for theUniversity.

"I consider him a very valued colleague to boththis office and the institution," Wrinn said. "Hewas an important communications link between FASand the University."

And Wrinn said his admiration for Huppeextended beyond the workplace.

"I personally look up to him for his knowledgeon higher education and the academic world outsideof him," Wrinn said

Other achievements of his tenure were theopening of the Harvard information center in theHolyoke Center arcade and the office's "hometownnews" program--which sends press releases aboutall incoming first-years to their localnewspapers.

"We used to just write the Gazette," Huppesaid.

He added that, at the beginning of his tenure,the office received complaints that Harvard wasunresponsive and didn't return phone calls.

"That is not said anymore," Huppe said.

Huppe said the advent of more electronic mediasources has posed additional challenges for hisoffice.

"The expectations have risen," Huppe said.

But during the same time the News Office hasreceived "only marginal" budget increases, hesaid.

In addition to his work at Harvard, Dartmouthand Boston University, Huppe taught at theUniversity of Virginia, where he completed hisdoctorate.

Joe Wrinn, who as director of the News Officehas worked closely with Huppe, said hisco-worker's departure is a loss for theUniversity.

"I consider him a very valued colleague to boththis office and the institution," Wrinn said. "Hewas an important communications link between FASand the University."

And Wrinn said his admiration for Huppeextended beyond the workplace.

"I personally look up to him for his knowledgeon higher education and the academic world outsideof him," Wrinn said