Hammonds Releases House Renewal Report

Nearly four months after the anticipated debut of a comprehensive plan for House renovations, Dean of the College Evelynn M. Hammonds released the final Report on Harvard House Renewal yesterday afternoon in an e-mail to the College community.

The report—a compilation of feedback from focus groups, five House Program Planning Subcommittees, and a college-wide survey that was initially scheduled to come out in December—provides an action plan for the next generation of House life and focuses specifically on the areas of academic, social, and residential space.

“Our overarching goal has been to explore the unique role and purpose of House life in the educational experience of Harvard students,” Hammonds wrote in a preface to the report.

She stressed that this goal would be realized in spite of “challenging economic times.”

The administration’s commitment to the renovation project—slated to break ground in 2012­—is significant in light of the cost of House renewal, which is projected to consume nearly four percent of the University’s shrunken endowment, or $1 billion.

At the top of the list for proposed improvements to House life is improving the quality of faculty-student interactions within the House system. In particular, the “outdated” Senior Common Rooms will be revitalized through a pilot House Fellows Program in some Houses, according to the report. The initiative will establish clear expectations for Fellows, who will have short tenures, in order to facilitate “casual yet meaningful” exchanges between undergraduates and faculty members.

Also set to receive a facelift is the role of resident tutors in academic and social life. The report notes that tutors are often responsible for heavy workloads and recommends that tutors recruit upperclassmen to “augment the programmatic roles of Specialty Tutors,” such as those of the sexuality and race relations liaisons.

Still on the menu for house renewal is the exploration of late-night dining options, including the possibility of remodeled student grilles and an unspecified “new proposal” for late-night eating spaces.

Finally, the report addresses some of the concrete architectural plans that are in the works, including the elimination of walk-through rooms.

Collectively, these blueprints are intended to foster greater contact among students of various class years.

“Houses are an integral part of our students’ academic experience,” Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Michael D. Smith wrote in an e-mail.

—Staff writer Bita M. Assad can be reached at bassad@fas.harvard.edu. —Staff writer Ahmed N. Mabruk can be reached at amabruk@fas.harvard.edu.