Dingman’s arrival at the helm of the FDO this summer marks not only a change in the office’s leadership, but also a new era in the College administration.

Nathans—whose forced departure was made public last fall—was another casualty of the overhaul of the College administration, which began with the forced departure of former Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis ’68 in the spring of 2003.

Known for her hard-nosed administrative style and firm leadership of the FDO, Nathans was openly opposed to many of the early recommendations of the curricular review, particularly the push towards Yale-style housing. At the helm of the FDO for over a decade, Nathans led an institution that held a large degree of autonomy within the College and oversaw both residential and advising aspects of freshman life.

Nathans declined to comment for this article.

Under Dingman, who currently oversees residential life for upperclassmen, the FDO—and the first year as a whole—are likely to become less self-contained.

PROCTORS OF THE FUTURE

Freshmen proctors wear many hats: they serve as disciplinarians, community builders, academic advisers, and personal mentors. Under the current Yard structure, around 60 proctors oversee entryways of around 25 students.

But if administrators succeed in creating more opportunities for freshmen to be advised by faculty members, the role of proctors could change dramatically.

The curricular review committee on advising, which rejected the proposal for Yale-style housing, recommended a dramatic increase in the number of faculty advisers to freshmen, with a goal of eventually ensuring that every one is matched with a faculty member.

Dingman says the College is recruiting “vigorously” to attract faculty who will take on the role of advising freshmen and remove some of the “load” of advising from proctors.

Jesse L. Maki ’04, a first-year proctor in Stoughton and student at Harvard Medical School, says that faculty advisers—if dedicated to their job—could be “an amazing resource” for students.

“I can’t offer you a place in my lab or do anything for your career. All I can do is offer good advice on choosing classes and picking a concentration,” she says.

Such a change would free up proctors to take a role closer to that of upperclass House tutors.

According to the Handbook for Students, freshman proctors currently have oversight of the “academic progress and personal welfare” of the students in their entryways, building communities centered around a small group of freshmen. Resident tutors, on the other hand, are expected to be a presence in the House, making themselves available to individual students to advise on issues from fellowships to relationships.

“I think the role of proctors and tutors is very similar,” O’Brien says. “I think it will become even more similar over time.”