Hanson recently voiced a controversial opinion in favor of the University divesting itself from Israel, but he says his ideological disagreement with University President Lawrence H. Summers—a vocal supporter of Israel—is not the reason he is departing. Hanson said he and Rosenberger had been planning to give up their posts for about a year.

Jennifer E. Kavanagh ’03, co-president of the Winthrop House Committee, said Hanson and Rosenberger were instrumental in establishing a positive atmosphere and personality that would remain in their absence.

“They really established the importance of respect for the community and other students,” Kavanagh said.

Winthrop Senior Tutor Courtney B. Lamberth said the duo’s presence will be missed.

“Paul has more energy and more of a giving spirit than anyone I’ve worked with,” Lamberth said. “And Cynthia is really the heart of the House—she really puts the students at ease.”

Hanson said he was confident that Lamberth and the other House tutors would carry on easily.

“Courtney is the absolute epitome of an ideal senior tutor,” Hanson said. “Without Cynthia and me it will be the same Winthrop House with the same values.”

Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis ’68 said he was grateful to Hanson and Rosenberger for their years of service and hard work at the helm of both Dudley and Winthrop.

“I do want to stress [their] service to two Houses, which is really a lot more work than being in the same House for the same period of time,” Lewis wrote in an e-mail.

He added he will begin work on finding a successor soon. The process will involve the input of both Summers and an in-House committee.

—Staff writer Steven N. Jacobs can be reached at snjacobs@fas.harvard.edu.