Emilie Raymer Named Permanent Dunster House Resident Dean After Predecessor’s Abrupt Removal

Emilie Raymer will serve as Dunster House’s next permanent Allston Burr Resident Dean, months after the House’s former resident dean was abruptly removed from the post following scrutiny over years-old social media posts.

Dunster faculty deans Taeku Lee and Shirley Lee announced Raymer’s appointment, effective immediately, in a Wednesday evening email to House affiliates.

“Many of you already know Emilie from the past academic year, when she ably served as the interim Resident Dean for our community,” the deans wrote.

Raymer served as Dunster’s interim resident dean during the spring semester after former resident dean Gregory K. Davis was removed from the role in January, the day College staff returned to work for the spring semester.

Harvard and Dunster administrators did not publicly specify why Davis was removed. His removal came after months of scrutiny over a series of past social media posts, including a 2020 post calling police officers “racist and evil,” which were resurfaced in fall 2025 by Yardreport, a right-wing news aggregator. The posts prompted calls for Davis’ resignation.

Davis wrote in a January email to House affiliates that he had been removed from the position. Roughly two hours later, Taeku Lee wrote in a separate email that Raymer — who had previously served as interim resident dean while Davis was on parental leave — would continue in the role.

The faculty deans did not address the circumstances of Davis’ removal in their Wednesday email announcing Raymer’s permanent appointment, instead highlighting her contributions to Harvard as a teacher and adviser.

“Her steadfast commitment to students, her thoughtfulness, and her emphasis on community building have been evident in all of these areas,” the Lees wrote.

In their email, Taeku Lee and Shirley Lee highlighted Raymer’s experience as an instructor in Harvard’s Expository Writing program and former resident tutor in Eliot House. Raymer received this year’s Anya Bernstein Bassett Prize for Excellence in Teaching, awarded to non-ladder faculty who demonstrate excellence in teaching undergraduates. She received her Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University, where she focused on the history and philosophy of science.

“Please join us in welcoming Emilie and celebrating her new role with Dunster House,” the Lees wrote.

—Staff writer Sebastian B. Connolly can be reached at [email protected] or on Signal at sbc.23. Follow him on X @SebastianC4784.

—Staff writer Summer E. Rose can be reached at [email protected] or on Signal at ser.85. Follow her on X @summerellenrose.