Lewis Says Other Masters May Leave

Lowell House may not be the only house to lose its masters this year, Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis '68 said in a meeting with Lowell House residents last night.

"This may not be the only mastership that's open for the coming year. There may be another and even more," he said.

Lewis said that he would like the College to try to exploit these potential vacancies to increase the number of women and minorities holding masterships.

Karel and Hetty Liem, co-masters of Dunster House, are the only people of color currently holding a master position.

"We very, very, very much want to appoint one woman and one person of color...I'd be very happy to have you think double hard or triple hard about those categories, as we have already," Lewis said to the group of approximately 30 Lowell residents.

After listening to a list of possible master candidates suggested by Lowell House residents, Lewis expressed his disappointment that more minorities were not represented.

"There are not enormous amounts of diversity in that list, we've got Skip [Henry Louis Gates, Jr.] and [Cornel] West but that's it," he said.

He added that these two candidates might not be the most realistic choices.

In order to be selected as a house master, candidates usually must be tenured Harvard professors.

A point was made at last night's meeting that this severely limits the number of eligible women and minority candidates because of the low percentage of women and minority tenured professors.

The search for a new master for Lowell House began when the current co-masters of the house, William H. Bossert '59 and Mary Lee Bossert, announced on Nov. 7 that they will resign at the end of the academic year. The Bosserts have been co-masters for 23 years.

The new master will be the fifth person to lead the house in the past 70 years.

At the meeting Lewis spoke about the selection process, listened to student comments on desirable characteristics for a master, and elicited names of possible candidates from the students.

Katherine A. Hamm '99, co-chair of the Lowell House Committee, told the dean that a group of ten students had met to "solicit student opinion both on names and characteristics" for the mastership.

She presented preliminary results from a 100-student print survey and a 33-student e-mail survey.

Most students favor an open minded master willing to meet with students one-on-one, according to her data. Students want a master interested in keeping old traditions and in favor of "going to bat" for student concerns.

An extensive discussion followed regarding Lowell House traditions. The residents discussed the delicate balance between old traditions and new traditions that potential masters might want to institute.

Residents suggested approximately 40 possible candidates for the mastership after Thomas A. Dingman '67, associate dean of the College for the House system, asked for some specific names.

Suggestions ranged from Jorge I. Dominguez, Dillon professor of international affairs, to Rabbi Sally Finestone, member of the United Ministry at Harvard/Radcliffe.

Lewis said that the search process, which is now in its tentative stages, will probably take several months.

"The search will take exactly as much time as it takes to get the best person and no more," he said.

He said that the administration is "beginning to have some conversations" with potential candidates.

The dean said that a small advisory committee including students and house officials will convene to discuss prospects in more detail and, later, to possibly speak with some serious candidates.

After concensus has been reached, President Neil L. Rudenstine will make the official appointment, which must then be confirmed by the Harvard Corporation and the Board of Overseers.