HSA Will Begin Search For General Manager

Harvard Student Agencies (HSA) is beginning its search for a successor to Chief Executive Officer Michelle Ponti, who resigned her post last week, HSA President Brain A. Goler '93 said yesterday.

In the course of the search, HSA will likely be reexamining the role of its adult supervisor, Goler said. Under the corporation's by-laws Ponti was officially the "CEO/general manager" of HSA, but the new employee will hold the title of simply "general manager." The duties of the post may be modified along with name, Goler said.

"I'm sure in replacing her we'll examine the role, and I'm sure we'll update the job description," he said. Goler said he did not know how the description would change.

Ponti, who announced her resignation to the board of HSA last Thursday, left the corporation for "personal reasons," Goler said.

Although Goler declined to elaborate, last week other senior members of HSA described the working relationship between Ponti and the student leadership as tense. Ponti could not be reached for comment.

Goler said the executive board of HSA was setting up a task force to lead the search for a new general manager. The general manager plays an important role in HSA's "missions," as outlined in their charter, Goler said. The general manager has the "rigorous task of overseeing the financial performance of the corporation," Goler said. "We'll look for someone who can balance those," he said.

HSA, which is the largest studentowned corporation in the country, employs over 1300 students and has an $800,000 annual payroll.