Conleys Gear Up to Take On Kirkland House

Tom C. Conley and his wife Verena A. Conley are about to begin a new phase in their lives: They've raised two children, canoed and hunted for mushrooms in the Midwest, and taught for many years as professors "distanced from the students."

Now, the couple say they are ready to get closer to students as the new masters of Kirkland House.

"We very much enjoy teaching here, we thought it would be great to join the community in a more sustained way," said Verena Conley, a visiting professor in literature, who will serve as co-master. Her husband will serve as master. "Living in a House has to do with building community and this will be a wonderful community."

The College announced their appointment on Friday.

For Conley, assuming the position of Kirkland House Master is a challenge in furthering community.

"We would love to see a sense of community missions--academic, cultural, ethical mission," he said. "It's crucial when people look at each other and their peers for models, that they find an ethic for living well."

The pair will bring two pets--a Bernese Mountain dog and a cat--with them to the Kirkland masters' residence.

Tom Conley, professor of romance languages and literature, is involved with research in French literature and film studies. He taught Foreign Cultures 21: "Cinma et culture franaise, de 1896 nos jours" on French film theory in the fall, and is teaching several other classes in the Romance Languages and Literatures department this semester.

He said he loves his work, but makes time for other things--he loves nature and time spent playing handball at the gym.

And he said he looks forward to "sharing my passion of cinema and literature and the arts with the students and tutors."

Verena Conley was born and educated in Switzerland. She speaks French and German as well as English, and specializes in French cultural studies and comparative literature. She is teaching French 167: "Parisian Cityscapes" this semester in the Romance Languages and Literatures department.

A search committee, which included Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis '68 and Dean of Undergraduate Education William M. Todd III as well as a Kirkland residents and tutors, met with possible candidates.

Using the committee's recommendations, Lewis then made the selection, which required approval from President Neil L. Rudenstine and is now pending formal approval from the Harvard Corporation.

Lewis said that he is "very pleased" that Tom Conley--as well as Lino Pertile, who accepted the job of Master of Eliot House last week--accepted the invitations.

"Both figures have strong literature and intellectual interests which they want to bring to the houses," Lewis said.

Kirkland House Senior Tutor Mark P. Risinger, who was part of the selection committee, said the process "went very well" and was "surprisingly straightforward."

Risinger will help the Conleys get adjusted to their new position, and help Kirkland House students and tutors get accustomed to their new leaders.

"[The Conleys] seem to have a pretty good grasp on the job and what they'll be doing, and the transition shouldn't be that complicated," Risinger said.

The Conleys said they believe the job will be "challenging and exciting," though they said they also do not expect a difficult transition.

Vivian Chan '01, a resident of Kirkland House who had the opportunity to meet the Conleys, said she is enthusiastic about their acceptance of the invitation.

"[The Conleys] were really friendly and open, and seemed very interested in getting to know the people in the House," she said. "Kirkland is a smaller House, and they seemed eager to be very visible and become a part of House life."

Kirkland House Committee Chair Jeremiah S. Lane '01 said the House will also miss the Pfisters, the outgoing masters.

"[The Pfisters] put a tremendous time and energy into the house," Lane said.

The Conleys said they will build off the Pfisters' efforts.

"We will certainly be working the Pfisters and the head tutor to get a sense of how things are done," Tom Conley said. "After we get hold of that foundation, we will then develop within that tradition."

"We don't know what's going to happen from one day to the next," he added, "but we're ready to start that new chapter, a new adventure."