Ex-Officer Criticizes PBHA Board

In a letter sent Friday to hundreds of donors and supporters of Phillips Brooks House Association (PBHA), Gregory A. Johnson '72, former executive director of PBHA, charged that the public service organization's Board of Trustees is being "tentative and slow" in fulfilling its mission and accused some board members of "deliberate sabotage."

The letter also accused College administrators of undermining the effectiveness of the Board of Trustees by creating an "atmosphere of intimidation."

PBHA Vice-President Michael W. Ma '98 said "the letter does raise a lot of concerns that are present" and said that the letter could deter potential donors to Harvard and PBHA.

"[Johnson is] a sharp, strategic man," Ma said. "He's aware of what the implications of a letter like this would be."

Johnson, in an interview yesterday, said the purpose of the letter was to "communicate [his] analysis" of the state of affairs at PBHA since his departure last July.

"It was incumbent upon me to tell them what I thought of the situation," he said.

In the letter, Johnson called upon the Board to resolve "basic structural inconsistencies" that he said resulted from PBHA's compromise with the College last summer.

"Who is ultimately responsible for the administration and governance of programs functioning under the 501(c)3 structure of PBHA Inc.?" he asked, referring to last July's agreement.

"I...call upon the PBHA Board to move to address these lingering and glaring 'fault-lines,'" he said.

Ma acknowledged that the Board, which was created in last summer's compromise between PBHA and the College, is not without its challenges.

"I don't think anyone would say that things shouldn't happen to the Board, or that the Board shouldn't evolve," he said.

"It's not a sign of incompetence," he said. "This Board is only a year old, and as such it will need to go through growth and evolution in the upcoming years."

In the interview, Johnson said that the Board of Trustees "must take responsibility for its own actions."

"I believe it is only ethical that PBHA Inc. govern itself as is expected of a non-profit corporation--that is, with a Board of Trustees openly responsible for overseeing the best interests of the corporation," he said in the letter.

At a PBHA Board of Trustees retreat last weekend, concerns about the ability of some Board members to represent PBHA student leaders were raised and acknowledged, according to PBHA President Roy E. Bahat '98.

"The ex-officio members are in a very difficulty position," he said. "They're not elected by the [PBHA] Cabinet."

Ex-officio members, who have full voting power, include Bahat and Ma; Professor of Government and Sociology Theda Skocpol, who chairs the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Standing Committee on Public Service; Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III; and Assistant Dean for Public Service Judith H. Kidd.

Kidd said yesterday that she had not received the letter and declined to comment.

"I didn't write it to her," Johnson said last night. "That's her problem. I don't see this as a personal situation."

PBHA Board member and Lamont Professor of Divinity Paul D. Hanson, who said he had received the letter, said that it was unfair to charge that the Board was acting counter to the interests of PBHA.

"The Board consists primarily of people that are members of PBHA," Hanson said. "I don't know how you could draw the distinction of the Board not doing what is in the best interests of PBHA, when the Board is PBHA."

In the letter, Johnson said that the Board should be "expected to set policy, to employ an Executive Director and to raise money--in short, to be able to manage their own affairs."

Johnson sees the current role of PBHA's acting chief operating officer, a position that will be vacated next month by Kenneth G. Smith, as an "impossible" one.

"It's impossible to be paid half by the University, half by PBHA Inc., report to a University administrator, and [still] be an independent agent," Johnson said last night.

Bahat declined to comment on the content of Johnson's letter.

Board members said that the questions involved would take time to work out.

"It is a huge organization and everything can't be solved immediately," said Board member Rev. G. Stewart Barns, who noted that the questions were "on-going" and that the Board was taking time to resolve them.

"There is no need for antagonism and conflict to exist," said Cambridge City Councillor Francis H. Duehay '55, a recent addition to the Board who added that he believed differences could be "reasonably worked out.

At a PBHA Board of Trustees retreat last weekend, concerns about the ability of some Board members to represent PBHA student leaders were raised and acknowledged, according to PBHA President Roy E. Bahat '98.

"The ex-officio members are in a very difficulty position," he said. "They're not elected by the [PBHA] Cabinet."

Ex-officio members, who have full voting power, include Bahat and Ma; Professor of Government and Sociology Theda Skocpol, who chairs the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Standing Committee on Public Service; Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III; and Assistant Dean for Public Service Judith H. Kidd.

Kidd said yesterday that she had not received the letter and declined to comment.

"I didn't write it to her," Johnson said last night. "That's her problem. I don't see this as a personal situation."

PBHA Board member and Lamont Professor of Divinity Paul D. Hanson, who said he had received the letter, said that it was unfair to charge that the Board was acting counter to the interests of PBHA.

"The Board consists primarily of people that are members of PBHA," Hanson said. "I don't know how you could draw the distinction of the Board not doing what is in the best interests of PBHA, when the Board is PBHA."

In the letter, Johnson said that the Board should be "expected to set policy, to employ an Executive Director and to raise money--in short, to be able to manage their own affairs."

Johnson sees the current role of PBHA's acting chief operating officer, a position that will be vacated next month by Kenneth G. Smith, as an "impossible" one.

"It's impossible to be paid half by the University, half by PBHA Inc., report to a University administrator, and [still] be an independent agent," Johnson said last night.

Bahat declined to comment on the content of Johnson's letter.

Board members said that the questions involved would take time to work out.

"It is a huge organization and everything can't be solved immediately," said Board member Rev. G. Stewart Barns, who noted that the questions were "on-going" and that the Board was taking time to resolve them.

"There is no need for antagonism and conflict to exist," said Cambridge City Councillor Francis H. Duehay '55, a recent addition to the Board who added that he believed differences could be "reasonably worked out.