"These people answer the phones themselves, andthey know how to get things done," he says.

Some Duke administrators believe their systemwould also be successful at Harvard. And some sayNathans is the person to do it.

When asked about Nathans, former colleaguesspeak in tones that betray awe. Known by thenickname "Ibby," the Vassar College graduate iswell-known for reporting to campus before 7 a.m.on some workdays and for always wearing a beeper,two practices she plans to continue at Harvard.

"She instilled an amazing loyalty inpeople--staff and students," says Zarker. "You allgot a real gem up there."

Nathans has refrained from criticizing theHarvard system of advising, offering onlysuggestions for increased faculty and departmentalparticipations in first-year lives.

But Nathans says her office is sure to "take aclose look" at both first-year orientation weekand at concentration advising.

When she was first appointed dean in April,Nathans said the Duke model--with its emphasis onclose faculty contact--would emasculate Harvard'sproctor system. And in an interview last week, shesaid the Duke system differed significantly fromHarvard's because Duke prohibited proctors fromacademic advising and offered financial incentivesfor faculty participation.

Nathans says she strongly supports Harvard'ssystem of using graduate students as proctors inthe dorms. While schools like Brown university andPrinceton University have used undergraduates tosupervise first year dorms, Nathans says thatHarvard's policy of giving academic records to itsadvisers means that graduate students must serveas proctors.

"None of us would ever want to see anundergraduate with access to all the records that[the FDO] or the Admissions Office see," Nathanssays.

The former first-year dean, however, saysHarvard's advising system is not in dire need ofreform.

"There were always students who felt theydidn't get the attention they needed," says Moses."Complaints won't go away even if you reform theadvising system. Even in a system as individuallyresponsive as Harvard's, there are problems."

Another concern of Nathans is orientation week.The dean says she feels that the event may be tooexhausting and some of the presentations tooantagonistic.

"Right now, the freshman orientation is just athing on the calendar with yellow markings tellingme where I'm supposed to go," says Nathans. "InOctober sometime, I'm going to get a group to sitdown...and just see what it is we're trying to dowith orientation week."

Harvard's orientation week, with its mix of icecream bashes, placement tests and scripteddiscussions, is nearly identical to those of otherprestigious schools.

Some schools, however, are beginning to softentheir approach. At Brown, the first discussion ofacademic and personal conduct was heldout-of-doors, with the University band playingnearby.