Brownlee to head up coll. houses

After more than a year as the interim director of college house implementation, Art History Professor David Brownlee will finally see his pet project come to fruition this fall. And not surprisingly, he will run the program as well. Interim Provost Michael Wachter announced last week not only that Brownlee will replace English Professor Al Filreis as chairperson of the Residential Faculty Council, but that he will head up the newly created Office of College Houses and Academic Services as well. The reorganization of undergraduate residences over the past year into full-fledged college houses has required increased staffing and academic support. Filreis, whose term as the head of the RFC -- comprised of all faculty members living in undergraduate residences -- expires June 30, announced last month that he would not seek another term as faculty master of Van Pelt College House and consequently could no longer serve on the RFC. Though Brownlee -- who will be the faculty master in Harnwell College House in the fall -- has never served as a faculty-in-residence before, his colleagues said he is qualified to chair the RFC in his first year of eligibility. Classical Studies Professor Jim O'Donnell, the faculty master of Hill College House, said that Brownlee's lack of residential experience would not hurt his performance on the RFC. "David is and has been for years a driving force in making [the college house system] happen," he said. "You should look at who is on the RFC and ask who the best candidate is. You look for the best and in David we've got him." In his other capacity, Brownlee will have full oversight over the new college house system "both academically and in the non-academic parts," Wachter said. The new office will supervise the administration of the residences and the academic services they provide. Chris Dennis, whose Office of Academic Programs and Residence Life will now report to Brownlee, sees administrative benefits in the new organizational arrangement. "It will essentially strengthen the relationships for delivering academic services," Dennis said. He explained that Brownlee will be responsible for bringing together the schools -- the providers of academic services -- with the residences where services are distributed. An increasing number of academic resources, from tutoring to writing groups, will be available to students right in their college houses. "What David is doing is of extreme importance to the University," Wachter said. University President Judith Rodin's 1995 Agenda for Excellence included increased house staffing and services as a priority for campus development. For his part, Brownlee said he views the college house program as the key to integrating the University's distribution of educational, residential and support services. Referring to the University's goals for campus improvement, Brownlee pointed out that "the college houses are the center of all this."

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