Public Service Leaders Demand Clarification

Leaders of the College's two largest public service organizations warned University administrators Friday that programs could be delayed if Harvard is not prompt in clarifying its intentions for restructuring their groups.

In the Report on the Structure of Harvard College, which was made public last month, a committee of faculty and administrators argued for a consolidation of the two organizations, the Phillips Brooks House Association and the Office of Public Service.

Under the committee's proposal, the administrative staff of the public service office would be moved to Phillips Brooks.

Four students--PBHA President John B. King, Jr. '96-95, PBHA Board Member Eric D. Dawson '96, and two central coordinators of the Office of Public Services program HAND, Jenna McNeill '95 and Kelly T. Yee '95--issued the warning in a letter Friday to Dean of the Faculty Jeremy R. Knowles, Dean of the College L. Fred Jewett and Administrative Dean of the Faculty Nancy L. Maull.

The students pressured the College on the report's recommendation that PBHA and the public service office be put under the direction of a new Assistant Dean for Public Service.

In their letter, the students asked Knowles to establish a timetable for the appointment of the new assistant dean by December 20 of this year.

"If a decision about the time of appointment of the Assistant Dean is not made prior to December 20, 1994, it will be difficult for PBHA to go forward in seeking essential funding for next summer's efforts," the letter reads. "In addition, without clarifying the future of both positions, PBHA and HAND will be reluctant to make other long-term commitments to the communities and schools with which we work."

Reached in his University Hall office yesterday afternoon, Knowles said he had not yet had an opportunity to discuss the letter's contents with Maull and Jewett. But he said the three deans would respond to the concerns raised in the PBHA/HAND letter as soon as possible.

Knowles said yesterday that the choice of an assistant dean would probably wait until after a replacement for Dean of the College L. Fred Jewett '57 is appointed sometime this summer.

"That phasing has not yet been decided," Knowles said. "But I shouldn't be surprised if we did feel that this is an important matter that should be thought of next June or July when the new dean would be in place."

In response to the letter's charge that a change in leadership for student service would disrupt programming, Knowles said he would listen to student leaders' concerns.

"You can't sort of make a change at the last minute, of course not," Knowles said. "My concern is to listen and to hear the range of concerns of all the constituencies."

Meeting

The students met with the three administrators on October 21. A copy of the letter, which students released to The Crimson, asks for a clarification of discussion at that meeting.

In memos to Maull last month, the public service administrators whose jobs were threatened by the report--Director of Public Service Programs Gail L. Epstein and Executive Director of PBH Greg A. Johnson '72--criticized the report's procedures.

"As regards the recommendations of the report, I understand them..to be as follows," Johnson wrote in a memo dated September 8. "1) That the Executive Director of Brooks House, the Director of the Stride Rite Community Service Program, and the College Director of the Office of Public Service Programs be laid off; 2) that an extensive search be made for a new Assistant Dean/Director of Phillips Brooks House; 3) that the Brooks House staff be immediately accesible to 700 additional students thus increasing their work load by a numerical minimum of 44 percent; and 4) that President Rudenstine be asked to seek capital to relieve the FAS of the burden of funding the 10 staff positions which will result from the suggested structure."

Epstein, who was not available for comment yesterday, said in an earlier interview that she had not been given sufficient opportunity to contribute to the report's findings.

"Since my involvement in this committee's process was limited to a one-hour interview at which only four of the five committee members were present, and at which some of the key assertions of the report were never raised, I was not given the opportunity to be as helpful to this process as I could have been," Epstein wrote in a memo dated September 12.

Since those memos were written, debate on the report has been subdued as campus leaders determined their correct course of action.

HAND and PBHA leaders said Friday's letter marks their first official cooperation after a long history of antagonism. The two groups have often perceived their goals and resources to be in competition.

In an interview Saturday afternoon, PBHA and HAND leaders stressed their mutual concern with the report's procedures.

"Our first concern was the fact that at least one-third of public service at Harvard was not talked to [prior to the report's release]," Dawson said.

In a telephone interview Saturday, Johnson said he believed the report's investigation into public service was a response to an increase in PBH staffing levels over the past year.

"I was told right after the hiring of Assistant Director Ken Smith and the fourth director of programming that the University would authorize those programs from January to October," Johnson said. "They said that they would do that temporarily but that we're going to convene a committee to look into all this business."

Johnson said that when the University made its decision to support funding for additional PBH staff, Jewett asked him if PBH had options to save funds. PBH currently has 52 committees which service hundreds of children and adults in the Boston and Cambridge area.

"Dean Jewett asked me if more staffing wasn't obtained, what should be done?" Johnson said. "I told him without addition staff, certain programs should be discontinued."

Administrative Support

About 700 volunteers from HAND, City Step, the First-Year Community Service Programs and other community service groups are overseen by the College's Office of Community Service, HAND leaders said.

PBHA also falls under the office's jurisdiction. But because of its independent resources and broad scope, it has traditionally served a more autonomous role in the Harvard community.

PBHA and HAND leaders said Saturday they were primarily concerned that Epstein and Johnson could lose their jobs in the shake-up.

"The Executive Director of PBHA signs off on about $100,000 of grants and funding proposals," King said. "If Greg is let go in the middle of his contract [which ends this June], there's ambiguity about whether he'll feel comfortable signing off on those grants."

"We're losing 20 years of experience in that position," King added.

HAND leaders said they would be equally sorry to see Epstein leave her position.

"Gail has six years of experience in her position," said Yee, who is an editor of The Crimson.

Johnson said a national search for a new assistant dean should not be necessary. He said either Epstein or he could be named to the job, and the other person would be comfortable working as a subordinate.

"I think it's just the problem of affixing the assistant dean title to one of our positions," he said.

"Why the need for a search?" Johnson asked. "Even if Gail and I were welcome to participate in the search and apply, isn't the whole thing unnecessary and won't it have an effect on the programs?"

Advisory Committee

The College report recommends establishing a faculty committee to oversee educational and financial issues in public service.

But the student leaders said they are concerned that the proposed committee would have oversight over how the programs are being run.

That may be precisely the administration's intent. PBHA--traditionally known as a student-run, staff-supported organization--has come under fire after 24 traffic accidents this summer caused the University insurance office to launch an investigation into the group's vehicles policy.

HAND and PBHA leaders said Saturday that their meeting with the deans had assured them that the proposed faculty committee would serve primarily to oversee funding for public service. The committee will also help bring students and faculty together in service initiative such as those proposed by Professor Robert A. Coles '50 this fall, according to the students.

But an administration source said yesterday that one of the primary responsibilities of the committee would be to oversee the safety of those served by student volunteers.

Staffing Levels

Community service leaders said their meeting on October 21 had also assured them that there would be no reduction in the levels of current staffing at PBHA and in the Office of Public Service.

PBH applies annually to the Faculty of Arts and Sciences for funding of its 10 staff positions. But under the College report's proposals, President Neil L. Rudenstine would solicit funds from the University's ongoing capital campaign to endow funding for staff positions.

In addition, the students said they were assured in the meeting that PBH staff would not be required to serve all of the University's student volunteers.

"Our new understanding is that staff would still be deployed separately with no change in staff available to PBHA programs, nor would there be an elimination of the senior staff position currently deployed to oversee programs outside PBHA," the students wrote in Friday's letter.

November 3 Deadline

The PBHA/HAND letter asks Knowles, Jewett and Maull to respond to their questions about the assistant dean's job by November 3.

"Please contact us in writing by November 3rd if the above statements do not accurately reflect the statements you made to us in [the October 21] meeting," the letter reads. "Assuming that the above information is correct we would very much like to share it with the members of the PBHA Association Committee who will be convening on November 3."

The Phillips Brooks House Association Committee is a group of local and national leaders who advise the student-run association.

"Unfortunately we know that they will also share our remaining concerns and so we would appreciate your addressing those concerns in writing as well by November 3," the letter says

"That phasing has not yet been decided," Knowles said. "But I shouldn't be surprised if we did feel that this is an important matter that should be thought of next June or July when the new dean would be in place."

In response to the letter's charge that a change in leadership for student service would disrupt programming, Knowles said he would listen to student leaders' concerns.

"You can't sort of make a change at the last minute, of course not," Knowles said. "My concern is to listen and to hear the range of concerns of all the constituencies."

Meeting

The students met with the three administrators on October 21. A copy of the letter, which students released to The Crimson, asks for a clarification of discussion at that meeting.

In memos to Maull last month, the public service administrators whose jobs were threatened by the report--Director of Public Service Programs Gail L. Epstein and Executive Director of PBH Greg A. Johnson '72--criticized the report's procedures.

"As regards the recommendations of the report, I understand them..to be as follows," Johnson wrote in a memo dated September 8. "1) That the Executive Director of Brooks House, the Director of the Stride Rite Community Service Program, and the College Director of the Office of Public Service Programs be laid off; 2) that an extensive search be made for a new Assistant Dean/Director of Phillips Brooks House; 3) that the Brooks House staff be immediately accesible to 700 additional students thus increasing their work load by a numerical minimum of 44 percent; and 4) that President Rudenstine be asked to seek capital to relieve the FAS of the burden of funding the 10 staff positions which will result from the suggested structure."

Epstein, who was not available for comment yesterday, said in an earlier interview that she had not been given sufficient opportunity to contribute to the report's findings.

"Since my involvement in this committee's process was limited to a one-hour interview at which only four of the five committee members were present, and at which some of the key assertions of the report were never raised, I was not given the opportunity to be as helpful to this process as I could have been," Epstein wrote in a memo dated September 12.

Since those memos were written, debate on the report has been subdued as campus leaders determined their correct course of action.

HAND and PBHA leaders said Friday's letter marks their first official cooperation after a long history of antagonism. The two groups have often perceived their goals and resources to be in competition.

In an interview Saturday afternoon, PBHA and HAND leaders stressed their mutual concern with the report's procedures.

"Our first concern was the fact that at least one-third of public service at Harvard was not talked to [prior to the report's release]," Dawson said.

In a telephone interview Saturday, Johnson said he believed the report's investigation into public service was a response to an increase in PBH staffing levels over the past year.

"I was told right after the hiring of Assistant Director Ken Smith and the fourth director of programming that the University would authorize those programs from January to October," Johnson said. "They said that they would do that temporarily but that we're going to convene a committee to look into all this business."

Johnson said that when the University made its decision to support funding for additional PBH staff, Jewett asked him if PBH had options to save funds. PBH currently has 52 committees which service hundreds of children and adults in the Boston and Cambridge area.

"Dean Jewett asked me if more staffing wasn't obtained, what should be done?" Johnson said. "I told him without addition staff, certain programs should be discontinued."

Administrative Support

About 700 volunteers from HAND, City Step, the First-Year Community Service Programs and other community service groups are overseen by the College's Office of Community Service, HAND leaders said.

PBHA also falls under the office's jurisdiction. But because of its independent resources and broad scope, it has traditionally served a more autonomous role in the Harvard community.

PBHA and HAND leaders said Saturday they were primarily concerned that Epstein and Johnson could lose their jobs in the shake-up.

"The Executive Director of PBHA signs off on about $100,000 of grants and funding proposals," King said. "If Greg is let go in the middle of his contract [which ends this June], there's ambiguity about whether he'll feel comfortable signing off on those grants."

"We're losing 20 years of experience in that position," King added.

HAND leaders said they would be equally sorry to see Epstein leave her position.

"Gail has six years of experience in her position," said Yee, who is an editor of The Crimson.

Johnson said a national search for a new assistant dean should not be necessary. He said either Epstein or he could be named to the job, and the other person would be comfortable working as a subordinate.

"I think it's just the problem of affixing the assistant dean title to one of our positions," he said.

"Why the need for a search?" Johnson asked. "Even if Gail and I were welcome to participate in the search and apply, isn't the whole thing unnecessary and won't it have an effect on the programs?"

Advisory Committee

The College report recommends establishing a faculty committee to oversee educational and financial issues in public service.

But the student leaders said they are concerned that the proposed committee would have oversight over how the programs are being run.

That may be precisely the administration's intent. PBHA--traditionally known as a student-run, staff-supported organization--has come under fire after 24 traffic accidents this summer caused the University insurance office to launch an investigation into the group's vehicles policy.

HAND and PBHA leaders said Saturday that their meeting with the deans had assured them that the proposed faculty committee would serve primarily to oversee funding for public service. The committee will also help bring students and faculty together in service initiative such as those proposed by Professor Robert A. Coles '50 this fall, according to the students.

But an administration source said yesterday that one of the primary responsibilities of the committee would be to oversee the safety of those served by student volunteers.

Staffing Levels

Community service leaders said their meeting on October 21 had also assured them that there would be no reduction in the levels of current staffing at PBHA and in the Office of Public Service.

PBH applies annually to the Faculty of Arts and Sciences for funding of its 10 staff positions. But under the College report's proposals, President Neil L. Rudenstine would solicit funds from the University's ongoing capital campaign to endow funding for staff positions.

In addition, the students said they were assured in the meeting that PBH staff would not be required to serve all of the University's student volunteers.

"Our new understanding is that staff would still be deployed separately with no change in staff available to PBHA programs, nor would there be an elimination of the senior staff position currently deployed to oversee programs outside PBHA," the students wrote in Friday's letter.

November 3 Deadline

The PBHA/HAND letter asks Knowles, Jewett and Maull to respond to their questions about the assistant dean's job by November 3.

"Please contact us in writing by November 3rd if the above statements do not accurately reflect the statements you made to us in [the October 21] meeting," the letter reads. "Assuming that the above information is correct we would very much like to share it with the members of the PBHA Association Committee who will be convening on November 3."

The Phillips Brooks House Association Committee is a group of local and national leaders who advise the student-run association.

"Unfortunately we know that they will also share our remaining concerns and so we would appreciate your addressing those concerns in writing as well by November 3," the letter says