The Phillips Brooks House Association (PBHA) has confirmed it will renovate the east side of its first floor this summer--though two of the organization's student leaders say they wish they had had more input in the decision-making process.

The construction project--which will begin June 9 and is due to be completed before Labor Day--will refurbish PBHA's conference room and office space, according to Assistant Dean of Public Service Judith H. Kidd.

"We want to create a welcoming environment for all residents and visitors to the building," Kidd wrote in an e-mail message. "The renovation will help provide visual clarity about the office location and create new space for full-time support services."

Kidd said the first floor will also be repainted and better lighting will be installed.

The renovated conference room will serve as a filing space and work room for PBHA's committees.

Though excited about the renovations, the two student representatives on PBHA's coordinating committee for the project said they wished their opinions were given greater weight in the decision-making process.

"At the beginning, [committee member Paul E. "Ted" Mussman '00] and I believed that the committee was the decision-making body," Christine Chi-Yan Chen '00 wrote in an e-mail message. "Hence, we sought and got the input of cabinet (composed of the student directors of 50 committees and the student officers) on several occasions."

"In an interesting turn of events, we discovered that the committee was merely an advisory committee," Chen added. "The final decision would rest with Assistant Dean Kidd."