Dingman says the College also solicits Senior Common Room (SCR) recommendations so the College can consider the widest pool possible.
"We've written SCR members and considered each recommendation given to us in each of the searches," he says.
But until the Faculty as a whole becomes more diverse, Lewis says he and the committees charged with recommending masters for appointments this spring will be forced to select from a slightly skewed group.
"We can't create ideal masters; we have to select from among those who are senior members of the Faculty," Lewis writes.
"The demographics of that group are not the same as the demographics of the students in Harvard College," he adds.
In meantime, Georgi says he is hopeful that the College will consider qualified minority candidates.
But he reiterates that the best masters are those who will throw themselves into the job.
"A master of color would make a difference if they were a great master," he says. "It would be a great symbol, so I certainly hope that it will be considered as part of the criteria, but not as the most important, or even any of the most important."