This opinion is echoed by Dean of the College L. Fred Jewett '57, who says counseling is secondary to academics in a tutor's job.

Jewett does acknowledge a common criticism levelled against the tutor system, that the burden of fulfilling "official duties," such as pre-med advisor or race-relations counselor, results in deficient advising.

"It may be that some people are asked to do more than they could," Jewett says.

But Palmer says time constraints generally do not hinder a tutor who truly wants to get involved.

"On the whole, lack of time is less of a problem in the houses than lack of morale and sense of community in the houses," he says.

Some say confusion over a tutor's proper role stems from the lack of guidance handed down by College officials. Since house masters make the final decisions on hiring and firing tutors, the nature of the system varies from house to house.

"The difference in structure and quality of advising in the houses is too great," says Brian C.W. Palmer '86, a resident tutor in Quincy House. "College-wide systemization of advising is needed."

Palmer was not rehired as assistant senior tutor for fellowships in Quincy House, a decision he called somewhat arbitrary.

Shinagel maintains that declining to renew tutor's appointments is standard procedure. And like many masters, he insists that hiring tutors is an essential aspect of the master's job.

Most house masters say they select tutors who have been suggested by their departments and reviewed by a selection committee.

These selection committees are composed of student representatives and tutors who make recommendations to the master.

"We select our tutors only through a student committee --if even one student says no, then we will not [choose that applicant]," says J. Woodland Hastings, North House master.

Hastings warns against centralization.

"It's a good feature that we don't have solidified rules," he says. "The tutorial system has a lot of resiliency when we need to respond to new issues, like race relations."

And Dunster House Master Karel F. Liem argues that intervention in the masters' authority would be hurtful to diversity among the houses.