“It wouldn’t feel very collegial to me if the Dean of the College looks at a proposal and says ‘No, this can’t make the list,’ and I still try to get it to Dean Smith,” said another Cabinet member, Dean of Freshmen Thomas A. Dingman ’67. “I would not give up on it all together, but I would take it off for that year.”
BUDGET BINDS
The allocation of funds for the College reflects the Dean’s place within the University decision making and the web of consultation that it entails.The Dean of the College plays an active but limited role in budgetary decisions that are often finalized by administrators in FAS.
“Overall, budget discussions would take place with [the FAS Dean] because the College budget is nestled within the budget of FAS,” Pfister said, noting that while the Dean of the College has some influence in the apportionment of the funds within the College, final approval on larger allocations comes from finance officers within FAS.
Dingman similarly said that when the Freshman Dean’s Office solicits funding from the Dean of the College for a new project, some of the requests get “moved upstairs,” where FAS ultimately makes the decision.
Multimedia
In preparing the overall budget that will ultimately be approved by the FAS Dean, the College Dean’s primary role is to examine the budgets compiled by the College’s various deans and offices.
“Everybody always needs more than what is available, so there’s a period of reconciliation of the requests with the likely amount of budget that we have in use,” Pfister said. “It’s an iterative process; it’s back and forth.”
In addition, the Dean of the College has access to “discretionary funds,” though Pfister said that these monies are not extensive or flexible. “So far as I see it, much of it has already been committed in various directions,” he said.
Other requests, normally those requiring small amounts of funding, may also be personally approved by the Dean of the College, but Dingman said these types of budgetary decisions are rare. He named funding for freshman landscaping projects as an example of a budgetary decision about which the College Dean has complete discretion.
“We didn’t have the money to buy plants, and we went to [former Dean of the College Evelynn M. Hammonds] and said ‘If you think this is worthy, can you support it?’” Dingman said. “She thought it was a great idea and was able to find the money to help us.”
SETTING THE AGENDA
Although the College Dean’s executive power may be limited, administrators said the Dean holds enough sway to effect change.
“Just because you don’t have a lot of budgetary authority doesn’t mean you can’t influence decisions,” said former Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis, who served as dean between 1995 and 2003. Lewis added that he believes a major part of the College Dean’s role is to provide subordinate administrators with a sense of direction.
Several other administrators agreed that the Dean of the College can use his or her influence to set an agenda for other deans who directly interact with students.
“I think the dean needs to lay out a vision for the College and help people to understand what the key priorities are in a year,” Dingman said. “Those can then help all of us organize our own efforts.”
Read more in News
Students Advocate Columbus Day Name ChangeRecommended Articles
-
With Three of Four Resident Deans Turning Over, FDO Completes HiresThe Freshman Dean’s Office has filled the vacancies created by the departures from the office of three of its four freshman resident deans this summer.
-
2014 President's Challenge Awaits Budding EntrepreneursThis year’s President’s Challenge for entrepreneurship includes two new categories—efficient governing and economic development and sustainable employment—according to an announcement made by University President Drew G. Faust and Provost Alan M. Garber on Thursday.
-
Months After Email Search Scandal, Committee Will Review Resident Dean Position -
Deans' Design Challenge to Address Growing PopulationWith the world’s population expected to grow exponentially in coming years, the Harvard Innovation Lab is turning to students for solutions to the sociopolitical and environmental problems that population expansion may pose.
-
Committee Recommends Changes to Resident Dean Position -
Semester Brings New Name, Clarifications to Resident Dean PositionThe recommendations were the work of an FAS committee that was convened last summer to review the resident dean position.
