Even with all the changes this year, old concerns such as faculty diversity remain. Approximately 200 students attended a December really calling for diversity in Kennedy School's faculty hiring. The event, held at the ARCO forum, came a day after Carnesale hosted a "town meeting" to personally address concerns.

And in April, many Kennedy School students joined their Harvard graduate school peers in a one-day "Strike" for diversity.

Carnesale assured students that the situation is improving. According to Executive Dean Richard E. Cavanagh, new junior faculty appointments, which were announced this week, are an example of Carnesale's commitment to providing diversity.

Of the 10 junior faculty members appointed, Cavanagh says, "two are women and two are people of color."

Although steps are being taken to increase diversity, measures to improve the school's financial situation appear to have met with more immediate success. Not only has the school managed to eliminate last year's $300,000 deficit, which has been atrribiuted to the construction of the new Taubman building, but the school approaches Commencement with a $100,000 surplus, according to several faculty members.

The reversal of the deficit was achievedlargely by cutting some administrative costsacross the board and consolidating severalofficers, according to Singer. at the same time,the school managed to actually in crease theamount of financial and it offered to students, hesays.

"It took a substantial amount of time, effortand emotional action to work out. [But] theplanning process was a vehicle for doing a lot ofthings that a new dean would want to do,"Carnesale says.

But Bator cautions against considering theissue solved. "Finances are an ongoing problem forall universities--I don't think we're special inthat respect. [Also], we don't have a large bodyof alumni with big fat pocketbooks. But, on thewhole financially...I think we're in pretty goodshape," he says.

While the Kennedy School is facing internalchanges, the institution is gearing up for apolitically exciting year. The school played hostto a number of past, present and possibly futurepresidential candidates, in cluding U.S. Sen.Edward M. Kennedy '54-'56 (D-Mass), ArkansasGovernor and Democratic presidential candidateBill Clinton and New York Governor Mario Cuomo.

Former Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachevalso delivered a speech at the school and answeredquestions from the audience of students.

After the November elections, the school willcontinue its tradition of inviting newCongressional members to a short training sessionon major national issues at the school. Carnesaleexpects a record 125 to 150 participants. "All ofthe media and the world are likely to have theireyes on this class," he says.

In addition, in September the school will againhost a group of Russian admirals and generalsstudying decision-making in a democracy