Lawrence Buell, the new dean for undergraduate education, said yesterday he will hold open office hours for undergraduates this year.

Buell said he will be available to speak with students on Fridays, from 10 a.m. to noon, at his office in University Hall. He said students need not make appointments ahead of time.

He said he is hopeful that his new open office hours will help to increase contact with students.

"My routine contacts are much more with the faculty and administrators, than they are with students directly," Buell said. "I have asked all the masters to arrange mealtime visits for me (in the upperclass houses) in the next year."

He added that he expects suggestions and complaints, but that he isn't exactly sure what he will hear from students. However, Buell said he hopes to improve his sense of what students, whom he described as Harvard's "clients," are thinking.

No students came to the office this Friday, the first time the hours were offered, according to secretary Eva Milofsky.

"I expect that it will take a while for the news of the office hours to get disseminated," said Buell.