The committee's mission is currently being shaped through discussions, Skocpol said.

"I think the committee will have a lot of impact over time in the degree that it works creatively with the dean," she said. "When faculty or faculty-student committees become divisive or rigid, the administration then proceeds to do whatever."

Skocpol added that, unlike many Harvard committees, the faculty members on the Public Service Committee actually want to participate in its discussions.

"The faculty members on this committee really want to be on this committee," she said.

Skocpol said she would like the committee to implement some of the suggestions from Ken Smith, assistant director of PBHA who was also a candidate for the assistant deanship.

As for integrating public service experiences into classes, Skocpol said she would not like to see credit given for public service activities, but that she would certainly be open to more of this type of service learning.

"I think a lot of things are already happening," she said, referring to government and sociology students she has seen who have brought descriptions of public service activities into their classes.

"Lots of senior these have been written out of these experiences," she said.

Autonomy?

Some students at PBHA have charged the administration with harboring a desire for more control over public service. At a meeting two weeks ago, PBHA members discussed the prospect of autonomy from the University.

Lewis said those student apprehensions are unfounded.

"My reaction is to keep pointing back to the structure report," Lewis said. "The structure report recognizes that PBHA has and always will be a student-run organization. The structure report suggests that there should be agreements [on finances, fund-raising, staff and safety] between PBHA and Harvard about what kind of support Harvard will supply."

Skocpol said the University has no intentions to completely control PBHA.

"It just boggles the mind the think what total control would be," she said. "No such thing is possible, let alone intended."

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