Members of Harvard's two student public service organization distributed a letter to Harvard's faculty yesterday asking them to reject the controversial recommendations of the Report on the Structure of Harvard College.
Members of the Phillips Brooks House Association (PBHA) board of directors and the coordinators of the Housing and Neighborhood Development (HAND) program have said they will not be fiscally able to commit to programming next year if the Faculty of Arts and Sciences implements the recommendations made in the report.
The report recommends combining the University's current two-part public service structure under a new Assistant Dean for Public Service and housing the resulting structure in Phillips Brooks House.
The report also suggests creating a Standing Faculty Committee on Public Service, which would have "ultimate judgment on levels of activity and educational objectives of public service programs."
"[I]f the recommendations of the Sub-Committee are adopted, or if the relevant issues are resolved in a manner inconsistent with providing adequate support for quality programming, we cannot guarantee the continuing quality of our programs," the letter to the faculty reads.
And in an interview Monday, PBHA President John B. King '95-'96 said PBHA might consider withdrawing from the support of the University if the reports recommendations were implemented and Greg A. Johnson '72 were no longer Executive Director.
"We could hire our own staff and raise our own endowment money," King said.
King said he thinks PBH staff members would leave the organization if Johnson were dismissed and the two service structures were combined.
"I think a lot of staff would leave if Greg left, and they had to support the other programs," King said.
The letter to the faculty reiterates the ultimatum delivered by student public service leaders in a memo to Dean of the Faculty Jeremy R. Knowles.
The letter is signed by King, PBHA Vice-President Christina Ho '95; Johnson; PBH Assistant Director Ken Smith; Central HAND Coordinators Jenna B. McNeill '95, Sara Mulholland '95 and Kelly T. Yee '95; and Director of the Office of Public Service Gail Epstein.
"Therefore, as of December 15th for PBHA and January 31st for HAND, we will not commit to programming beyond June 1, 1995. As a result we will be unable to pursue crucial funding for PBHA Summer Programs or make preparations for any PBHA or HAND activities beyond June 1," it reads.
Student Groups such as the Undergraduate Council, HAND and PBHA have criticized the Report on the Structure of Harvard College, which was submitted to Knowles this August for his approval, saying if Knowles approves the report's recommendations might interfere with their organization's autonomy.
"The report is really for the benefit of the [Faculty of Arts and Sciences] and not for the benefit of public service or the people we serve," King said Monday.
In memos to Knowles this "As regards the recommendation of the report, I understand them to be as follows," Johnson wrote. "That the Executive Director of Brooks House, the Director of the Stride Rite Community Service Program, and the College Director of the Office of Public Service Programs be laid off." Read more in News
