"As far as I knew [several weeks ago], on the short list of Masters' candidates, none of them were of color," he said several weeks ago.

When Kirkland and Eliot House masters announced their resignation last year, the Harvard Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations jumped at the opportunity to advocate for more non-white masters.

The Academic Affairs Committee (ACC) of the Foundation sent letters to Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis `68 with the names of professors and administrators that they would like to see considered for the position of House Master. The committee also included in the letters a signed petition from students who supported their cause.

While the AAC reported that their petition was "well-received," the two House Masters elected last year were both white.

Lewis responded by recounting the difficulty of finding a qualified professor of color to accept the position, claiming that "members of under-represented groups are particularly overburdened by other demands on their time."

Lewis said last spring that finding "a person of color is not as important as appointing someone who will do the best job for the students in the House."

Liem says he understands the difficulties in finding a professor of color to accept the position, but he said he believes that the University could exert more of an effort.