The hiring process for a new chief of Harvard Police Chief is well underway, according to Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III.

The dean said yesterday that an advisory group has been formed to advise University General Counsel Margaret H. Marshall on the appointment of a successor for Chief Paul E. Johnson, who earlier this year informed Marshall of his intention to retire.

Johnson said he will continue to serve as chief until his successor is named.

Epps said the advisory group includes himself, Weatherhead Professor of Business Daniel Q. Mills, Eliot House Masters Stephen A. Mitchell and Kristine L. Forsgard, Director of Personnel for College Life and Services Eloise S. McGaw and Herbert J. Vallier, the associate director for Finance and Administration.

Students are not currently included in the advisory board, but group membership is not yet final, Marshall said yesterday.

"Students will be consulted in the process," she said. She would not comment further on the group's activities.

Epps said in an interview yesterday that he isvery interested in choosing Johnson's successorand hopes that students are consulted at somepoint in the hiring process.

"I don't know why there are no students [on theadvisory group]," Epps said. "There are ways ofconsulting students about the appointment of staffwho have such an impact."

The dean said one of his primary criteria forthe new chief is the ability to work with studentsand deal with their concerns.

"I stress above all [finding] some-one who isvery accessible to students and who likes workingwith them and can think of new ways to involvethem in the department," Epps said. "I am willingto appoint someone quite unorthodox...in the senseof police bureaucracy."

The dean said he hopes to find candidates whohave highly ethical standards, who are people oftaste, who are capable of expressing themselvesand who can persuade others to their vision.

"It's a difficult job with a very highlydiversified institution," he said. "Students wanta strong police presence, but they want themhiding behind trees."

With Johnson's retirement, Harvard police alsolose the only minority administrator in thedepartment.

But Epps said hiring a minority or a woman isnot one of his priorities.

"When you get to the level of top appointments,[you must maintain] strict adherence to specificcriteria," he said, "We must ensure that the[applicant] pool is diverse and able."

"The presence of people of color in aninstitution is to give a signal to people of colorthat it is an okay institution, [that] it is notkeeping people out because of their race," Eppssaid.