According to Rudenstine, the duties of the News Office have changed dramatically over the past four years.
While at Harvard, Huppe helped launch several new programs in the News Other achievements of his tenure were theopening of the Harvard information center in theHolyoke Center arcade and the office's "hometownnews" program--which sends press releases aboutall incoming first-years to their localnewspapers. "We used to just write the Gazette," Huppesaid. He added that, at the beginning of his tenure,the office received complaints that Harvard wasunresponsive and didn't return phone calls. "That is not said anymore," Huppe said. Huppe said the advent of more electronic mediasources has posed additional challenges for hisoffice. "The expectations have risen," Huppe said. But during the same time the News Office hasreceived "only marginal" budget increases, hesaid. In addition to his work at Harvard, Dartmouthand Boston University, Huppe taught at theUniversity of Virginia, where he completed hisdoctorate. Joe Wrinn, who as director of the News Officehas worked closely with Huppe, said hisco-worker's departure is a loss for theUniversity. "I consider him a very valued colleague to boththis office and the institution," Wrinn said. "Hewas an important communications link between FASand the University." And Wrinn said his admiration for Huppeextended beyond the workplace. "I personally look up to him for his knowledgeon higher education and the academic world outsideof him," Wrinn said