Lewis says a higher rate of turnover in masters is not cause for alarm, but could enrich the House system further.

“There is little evidence that turnover at the rate of every ten years or so is a bad thing,” he writes in an e-mail. “New masters always seem to arrive with enthusiasm and energy.”

The Hunt

While Lewis says mastership turnover can only be a positive influence on the Houses, he and the Winthrop, Currier and Cabot master search committees will have to hustle to fill the positions before the end of the year.

In each of the three Houses, senior tutors describe the masters search process as ongoing, but refuse to divulge further details.

The Winthrop search committee has met with at least one candidate, David A. Hafler, Breakstone professor of neurology and an associate of Winthrop.

Currier House Senior Tutor Carole Mandryk says their selection committee will meet with candidates “over the next couple of weeks.”

Lewis said he hopes to announce the new masters simultaneously around spring break.

—Staff writer Emily M. Anderson can be reached at emanders@fas.harvard.edu.