Jeremy R. Knowles has served as dean of the Faculty since 1991. In that time, Knowles has brought a British flair to his task of dealing with a budget crunch and building the ranks of the Faculty.

Knowles gets involved when there is a crisis in the College, though he often seems uncomfortable about it. The dean can also affect undergraduates by setting academic policy.

Last year, for example, he announced his intent to reduce average class size--hopefully by hiring more Faculty. He has also pushed departments to make sure that their hiring practices are fair to women and minorities.

The College

It takes a while to get down to the level of accessible administrator. And by the time you reach it, you're far away from the so-called powers that be.

Harvard's lesser deans are in charge of making sure your quality of life is acceptable. The College deals with mundane undergraduate concerns such as discipline and housing.

At the top is Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis '68, entering his sixth year on the job. Lewis, who is also McKay professor of computer science, has proven that he is not afraid to make unpopular decisions--like continuing the tradition of randomization and tightening alcohol policies--but this boldness, coupled with a penchant for sticking his foot in his mouth, have not won the dean many friends among students.

Lewis sits at the heard of the 25-member Administrative Board, which is charged with disciplining undergraduates. You don't want your first encounter with Lewis to take place at an Ad Board hearing.