Alison N. Mitchell '76 will become the first woman to head a Harvard student publication when she takes office as president of The Harvard Independent, the weekly news magazine, at the start of next semester.

Mark N. Segall '75, the current president, last night confirmed reports of her appointment, which is not official until the magazine's corporation meets next month. He described her as "the best person available for the job."

In the 20 years that women have been staff members of The Crimson, women have three times held the office of managing editor-the second most important position on the Crimson masthead-but never the top position of president.

There have never been any woman heads of The Harvard Advocate or The Harvard Lampoon.

Mitchell joined the staff of The In-

dependent in the fall of 1973 as a news and feature writer. She has served as news editor for the past year.

When asked for comment last night, Mitchell said, "I think they [the current officers]chose the staff on the basis of who they felt would do the jobs best, but it would be foolish of me to disclaim the importance of the women's movement."

"Any woman who rises to a position of authority in a previously male-dominated organization owes a debt to the women's movement," she added.

The position of managing editor, the third highest slot on the Independent executive board, will also be filled for the first time by a woman, Abigail Zuger '76