Man Who Fell From Leverett Tower 'Is Improving'

A Harvard spokeswoman said that the male undergraduate who fell out of a Leverett Tower window this morning "is improving" in Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

"He's still being cared for in the hospital," University News Office Associate Director Rebecca E. Rollins told The Crimson this afternoon. "I'm told that he is improving."

Jerry Berger, a spokesman for Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, said that the student is "in critical condition."  

The undergraduate, whose name has not been released, fell from Leverett House Tower F this morning and sustained a "serious injury," according to Rollins.

"I heard the rustle of leaves, and a second later, I heard a thud, and he was lying there," said Vaidya G. Rajagopalan '08, who was passing through the courtyard at that time. "I heard the cops saying something about the ninth floor."

The man was lying outside the fence that encloses the Leverett Towers courtyard and faces DeWolfe Street, according to Rajagopalan.

"He was on his back," Rajagopalan said. "He was breathing—stomach going up and down....He was kind of rigid. I don't know why....His arms were shaking a bit."

Harvard University Police Department (HUPD) received a call at 10:25 a.m. this morning and dispatched officers to 28 DeWolfe St. to investigate a report of an "injured person," Rollins said.

"Upon arrival, the officer determined there appeared to be a fall," she said.

The co-masters of Leverett House, Ann and Howard Georgi, Associate Dean of Harvard College Judith H. Kidd, Associate Dean of Residential Life Suzy M. Nelson, and HUPD Chief Francis D. "Bud" Riley were all present at the scene this morning.

Dean of the College Benedict H. Gross '71, in an e-mail sent to undergraduates at 12:30 p.m. today, said that the student's name would be withheld until his family is notified. "An investigation is underway," Gross wrote.

"A time like this can be very difficult for everyone, especially those who live in Leverett. I would like to remind all students and staff that there are many people on campus who can help you through this difficult time," Gross added. He directed students to the University's Mental Health Services and the Bureau of Study Counsel.

-Staff writer Stephanie S. Garlow contributed to the reporting of this story. She can be reached at sgarlow@fas.harvard.edu.