Radcliffe Makes Three Appointments

In an apparent move towards restructuring the Radcliffe Dean's Office, Radcliffe President Linda S. Wilson named three people to new appointments last month.

Stephanie J. Beukema and Rosa B. Shinagel were made assistant deans, and Faith Adiele '86-'87 was appointed the new coordinator of Education for Action (E4A) and of special programs.

The appointments by Wilson, who is in her second year in office, may represent an initial step toward her promised reshaping of the Radcliffe administrative system.

Although the three appointees will continue for the most part in their present capacities, Beukema and Shinagel will take on additional administrative responsibilities.

As assistant to the dean of Radcliffe, Beukema has supervised the Radcliffe Externship and Mentor program. She is also a member of several Radcliffe fellowship and prize committees and a "group facilitator" for the Radcliffe Student Advisory Committee.

Radcliffe Dean Philippa A. Bovet said yesterday that Beukema would be put in charge of developing new programs, but declined to comment on the nature of the new programs.

"I am delighted to have [Beukema] in this position," Bovet said.

As assistant dean, Shinagel's primary responsibility will be to organize and further develop the new Lyman Common Room and to help Beukema run the Radcliffe Mentor program.

The Lyman Common Room is an informal meeting place located in Agassiz House which hosts events dealing with gender and women's issues. Student activists pressing for a separate women's center have called the Lyman Common Room a possible starting point for a women's center, but say they find it an inadequate substitute.

"[Shinagel] is a very good choice," said Radcliffe Union of Students (RUS) treasurer Bridget C. Asay '92, who added that she was pleased the common room was being assigned its own administrator. "Making her a dean is making the Lyman Common Room a budget priority."

Shinagel, the current co-master of Quincy House, was formerly an elementary teacher and education consultant. Shinagel serves on the Harvard Dean's Committees on House Life, College Life and Campus Security, and works with Phillips Brooks House and the Harvard Area Neighborhood Development (HAND) program.

Since her temporary appointment last spring, Adiele has coordinated E4A, a student group that funds and advises students interested in pursuing social activism.

As E4A coordinator, Adiele said she hopes to make the group "a household name on the Harvard campus." Adiele said she wishes to "collaborate with a lot of other campus groups on addressing social concerns."

Adiele, who is Black, said she thought the decision to appoint her was indicative of a new sensibility on the part of Radcliffe. "Education for Action deals with multi-cultural issues, and as an alum of the program and a person of color, my appointment shows this change in attitude."

Adiele, who pursued graduate studies in anthropology last year at the University of Nigeria, said she thinks the position will be "very challenging."