Elisa F. New, a University of Pennsylvania English professor, was first introduced to the work of Porter University Professor Helen Vendler as a first-year at Brandeis University. Years after her days as an undergraduate, New will soon be able to call Vendler a colleague, having recently accepted a position as tenured professor in the Harvard English Department.

A specialist in American poetry, New's appointment comes on the heels of announcements by three junior Faculty members in the English department who have expressed intent to pursue tenuretrack positions at other universities.

Her selection is part of a large-scale effort by the department--its Faculty weakened over the past few years by a number of high profile departures--to boister its teaching staff. In addition to New's selection, the department has also hired another professor and five additional junior Faculty members for the upcoming academic year.

According to Chair of the English Department Lawrence Buell, New's appointment highlights her preeminence in her academic field.

"She is the outstanding figure of her generation in the field of American poetry," Buell wrote in an e-mail message yesterday.

The author of two books and numerous articles on the relationship between religion and American literature, New will further strength- en the department's Americanist wing and,according to Buell, will help ensure that Harvardremains "the place to study poetry."

Harvard Professor of English and AmericanLiterature and Language Peter M. Sacks said Newwill bring a distinctive combination of strengthsto the department.

"She is a terrific writer and teacher, a giftedand deeply engaged guide to an entire range ofsubjects," Sacks said. "There's an infectiousverve throughout [her work]--a sense that here issomeone who not only knows but loves her subject."

Known at Penn as a "forceful administrator" anda "productive scholar," New will come to Harvardafter 10 years at the Philadelphia Ivy Leagueschool, where she serves as chair of undergraduatestudies for the English department and was made afull professor last year.

In that position, Penn Associate Professor ofEnglish James F. English said New has beenresponsible for "reconceiving" the undergraduatecurriculum in English.

"She made the major a little bit more rigorousand in doing so attracted more students to what isalready a popular major," English said.

But according to New, who has taught at Pennsince receiving her Ph.D. at Columbia Universityin 1988, it was a surprise when Harvard came"nibbling" in October of last year.

"I always thought I would stay at Penn for mywhole career, but when Harvard came knocking, itbecame irresistible," New said.

New cited the chance to work as a member ofwhat she called "an extraordinary department" fullof "eminent, jolly and pleasant" people as a majorfactor involved in her decision to make the moveto Boston.

Though she said she expects to teach courses onAmerican poetry or the American survey when shebegins active service in the spring term of the1999-00 academic year, New said she has enjoyedher administrative role at Penn and would be opento accepting a similar post at Harvard.

New's appointment comes at a time when theUniversity's tenure policies have been criticizedfor failing to recognize the qualifications ofyounger woman scholars.

Only 40 years old and the mother to three youngchildren, New stands out among the University'smale-dominated pool of tenured professors.

"Professor New's rise in the profession hasbeen meteoric since her graduation from Columbiain 1988," Buell said. "She is a splendidlymulti-talented teacher and scholar, and we arevery lucky that she has agreed to join us.