“That’s optimistic because it depends on the other construction projects in the University,” Gross said.

Harvard is currently building graduate student housing on Cowperthwaite street, renovating the Hasty Pudding Theatricals building on Holyoke St., and restoring the exterior of Widener Library and Memorial Church.

The extensive renovation plans are part of a substantial administrative effort over the past several years to address on-campus social life, an oft-criticized aspect of the Harvard student experience.

Few students were surprised when in late March, the Boston Globe reported results from the 2002 senior surveys showing that the graduating class was highly dissatisfied with social life at Harvard.

According to the survey, Harvard averaged a 2.62 for its campus social life, compared to an average rating of 2.89 at other schools, and netted a 2.53 for its sense of community, compared to 2.8 at other schools, the Globe reported.

“All the surveys show that we do well in the areas of residential and extracurricular life, and that we could do better in the areas of social life and academic experience,” Gross said today. “This has informed my priorities.”

—Staff writer Margaret W. Ho can be reached at mwho@fas.harvard.edu.

—Staff writer Joshua P. Rogers can be reached at jprogers@fas.harvard.edu.