The Harvard Republican Club (HRC) supports the appointment of Judith Kidd as new Assistant Dean of Public Service and opposes Philip Brooks House's (PBH) move toward independence, according to a resolution passed by the club last Thursday.

The resolution questions the Phillips Brooks House Association's (PBHA) ability to maintain its existing community service programs without financial support from the University.

The policy statement, written by HRC President Jay Dickerson '98 and members of the executive board, made it clear that, while HRC supports community service at Harvard and the general spirit of PBHA's student rally last Thursday, it does not support the motivations behind PBHA's decision to seek greater financial autonomy.

Following Kidd's appointment, PBHA voted to raise funds to hire its own staff.

"[The decision] is not in the best interest of the people PBH serves," said Brian F. Malone '96, vice president of HRC.

PBHA held a rally last Thursday to voice its opposition to Kidd's appointment by Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis '68, The appointment will eliminate the positions of two PBH senior staff members.

PBHA members criticized the HRC resolution yesterday. Some HRC members also expressed opposition to the resolution.

The money PBH would spend on support staff and housing if it became independent--expenses presently covered by Harvard--would be taken away from community service programs, Malone said.

"It is unfair to the donors and to the people that [PBH] serves," he said.

The HRC also cited problems within PBH that it said it believes could become worse if the organization was not under some administrative control.

"It seems to us that there is no administrative oversight concerning how donor's money is spent," Dickerson wrote. "This problem would obviously become more acute if PBHA were to gain autonomy from the University."

"If PBHA does gain autonomy, the HRC urges all prospective donors to give their money to a more responsible public service organization," the statement said.

HRC members also support Lewis's appointment of Kidd, who they said they feel is adequately experienced for her new position.

"We support Dean Kidd and hope that she is given the chance to prove herself," Dickerson wrote.

In response to HRC's policy statements, PBHA President Vincent Pan '95-'96 said he felt that many of the statements were uninformed.

Pan said the University monitors the association's revenues closely.