Faced with issues like underage drinking and off-campus partying which frequently bring students and administrators into conflict, Nelson has served as a mediating figure in the fray.

Each semester, she has held training meetings for the new officers of unrecognized student organizations—fraternities, sororities, and final clubs—to discuss hazing, safe parties, and sexual violence.

“I didn’t get the impression that she was an opponent of the final club system,” said Eddie S. Alfred ’13, president of the Delphic final club.

But Alfred said that Nelson’s meetings with Delphic members after past incidents at the Club—including police complaints about alcohol or noise—led some Delphic members to question Nelson’s interference.

“The fact that we had to have these meetings led to the perception that she was being heavy-handed when, in fact, she was being diligent and involved,” Alfred said.

Former president of the College Democrats Jonathan L. Newmark ’12 said that while he thought the OSL’s oversight increased during his time as a member of the Dems, he never felt policed.

“We grew to be more dependent on the Office of Student Life in a positive and beneficial way,” Newmark said.

TURNING A BLIND EYE?

As fraternity and sorority membership surges on campus, Greek leaders have clamored for recognition from the administration.

Phillip Morris ’12, former president of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, said that he had the impression that Nelson would have recognized Greek organizations at Harvard if she had the power.

“I’m confident that if the decision were solely hers, Greeks would be recognized,” Morris said. “But unfortunately things take a long time at Harvard.”

For her part, Nelson wrote in an email that although she has “a good understanding of the positive—and negative—aspects of hosting a Greek system on a campus...Harvard has chosen not to recognize fraternities and sororities because of our specific residential model.”

It is a model she has come to know well in the past six-and-a-half years. “I will miss many things about Harvard, including my many friends and colleagues and the tremendously talented Harvard students with whom I’ve been fortunate to work,” she wrote.

—Staff writer Rebecca D. Robbins can be reached at rrobbins@college.harvard.edu.