Lowell House Masters to Retire After 23 Years

After 23 years of holding weekly teas and maintaining other Lowell House traditions, William H. Bossert '59 and Mary Lee Bossert will be moving out of the masters' residence on 50 Holyoke St. at the end of the academic year.

The Bosserts announced their decision to step down as co-masters in letters to Lowell House residents and Senior Common Room members last Friday.

"Other than our children, this has been the biggest thing in our lives," said William Bossert, who is also Arnold professor of science, in an interview.

The Bosserts cited no single reason for their departure, but said they would like to spend more time traveling and enjoying their many hobbies together.

"Twenty-three years is too long [to be masters]," Professor Bossert said. "We're a little tired," he added jokingly.

The Bosserts have been active in shaping residential life at the College through practice and policy. They were stalwart opponents of the randomized housing policy implemented in 1996, which critics feared would lead to the end of distinct House characters.

But the Bosserts said they plan to continue to work to shape policies on SHouse life and undergraduate education after their term as masters is over.

"If I felt there were policies we could only fight as masters, we wouldn't leave," Professor Bossert said.

Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis '68, who co-authored the advisory report that advocated randomization, said that the Bosserts leave an "extraordinary" legacy in Lowell House.

"They truly set the standard for dedication to the House as the living community that means so much to Harvard students," Lewis wrote in an e-mail message. "The Bosserts...will go down in Harvard annals as legends."

Lewis cited the active involvement of Lowell's Senior Common Room as one of the Bosserts' major accomplishments.

"We mean what we say frequently that if Lowell House should secede from Harvard it would have one of the finest small-college liberal-arts faculties in the world," said the Bosserts in their letter to House affiliates.

The Bosserts said they plan to take a leave of absence next year to travel through Europe. They have not taken a year of sabbatical during their mastership.

"We want to be gone the whole year because we don't want to be in our successors' hair," said Professor Bossert.

When they return, Professor Bossert said he plans to rededicate his research efforts.

"I've submerged my research to devote my time to being master of Lowell House," he said.

Professor Bossert said he plans to work with a graduate student on the population biology of malaria, a subject he has never researched.

The Bosserts also plan to devote more time to their hobbies, which include restoring musical instruments, a model train set and traveling in their personal airplane.

The Bosserts said they announced their departure early in the year to allow a smooth transition for their successors.

A search for the Bosserts' successors has not yet begun.

"They will be very, very hard to replace," said Mellon Professor of the Humanities emeritus Zeph Stewart, who preceded the Bosserts as Lowell House master.

"I'm very sorry that their term as masters is coming to an end, but after 23 years, I can see why," he said

"If I felt there were policies we could only fight as masters, we wouldn't leave," Professor Bossert said.

Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis '68, who co-authored the advisory report that advocated randomization, said that the Bosserts leave an "extraordinary" legacy in Lowell House.

"They truly set the standard for dedication to the House as the living community that means so much to Harvard students," Lewis wrote in an e-mail message. "The Bosserts...will go down in Harvard annals as legends."

Lewis cited the active involvement of Lowell's Senior Common Room as one of the Bosserts' major accomplishments.

"We mean what we say frequently that if Lowell House should secede from Harvard it would have one of the finest small-college liberal-arts faculties in the world," said the Bosserts in their letter to House affiliates.

The Bosserts said they plan to take a leave of absence next year to travel through Europe. They have not taken a year of sabbatical during their mastership.

"We want to be gone the whole year because we don't want to be in our successors' hair," said Professor Bossert.

When they return, Professor Bossert said he plans to rededicate his research efforts.

"I've submerged my research to devote my time to being master of Lowell House," he said.

Professor Bossert said he plans to work with a graduate student on the population biology of malaria, a subject he has never researched.

The Bosserts also plan to devote more time to their hobbies, which include restoring musical instruments, a model train set and traveling in their personal airplane.

The Bosserts said they announced their departure early in the year to allow a smooth transition for their successors.

A search for the Bosserts' successors has not yet begun.

"They will be very, very hard to replace," said Mellon Professor of the Humanities emeritus Zeph Stewart, who preceded the Bosserts as Lowell House master.

"I'm very sorry that their term as masters is coming to an end, but after 23 years, I can see why," he said