New Senior Officers' Closeness to Class Marshals Questioned

Although the senior class marshals will have to reach far and wide to keep in touch with the Class of 1998, they did not have to go far to choose their helpers, the Senior Class Committee.

Three of the four members of the Senior Class Committee, selected two weeks ago, live in Adams House A-entry, the same entryway as the Radcliffe First Marshal, Kavita Kacholia '98.

And the fourth member lives in Leverett House D-entry, the same entryway as Harvard Marshal Anupam Mishra '98.

The secretary and treasurer positions were selected by two sub-committees made up of the eight senior marshals. Seniors submitted letters describing their interest in the positions, which are life-long and involve planning activities through the end of the year and after graduation.

Manisha Bharti '98, who was chosen to be senior class secretary, lives in Adams A-21, two doors from Kacholia.

One senior, who is close to the process and asked not to be identified, said yesterday that she did not feel that the committee members are "representative of the senior class."

"I think anyone who is close enough to their [blockmates] to live with each other for several years share certain things in common," she added. "They share certain viewpoints and social circles."

The senior said that many students she has spoken to have expressed similar concerns.

Kacholia said yesterday that the committee worked to choose the best candidates and disregarded any personal connections that they had with the applicants.

"We didn't look at house affiliation," she said. "I definitely feel that we made the best decision based on what we felt the job required."

The senior gift co-chairs, who are responsible for encouraging seniors to give money to Harvard before they graduate, were chosen by Kacholia and Harvard First Marshal Philip R. Kaufman '98, in conjunction with Peggy V. Hsia '93 of the University Development Office.

The senior gift co-chairs, Alice S. Lee '98 and Steven R. Hill '98, live in Adams A-21 and A-14, respectively. Hill was the only male applicant for the position, which is always filled by one man and one woman, while Lee was chosen from two female candidates.

Roy E. Bahat '98, the outgoing president of Phillips Brooks House Association and the new senior class treasurer, lives in Leverett D-31. Mishra, who lives in Leverett D-41, was one of the five marshals who interviewed Bahat for the position.

Chandler F. Arnold '98, a senior class marshal, said that the members of the committee are representative of the class as a whole, even though many of them are either friends or blockmates of the marshals.

"Each have been involved in many different activities here at Harvard," Arnold said.

However, the senior who asked not to be identified said that certain houses are underrepresented among the eight marshals, all of whom live in Adams, Leverett, Quincy, Winthrop and Kirkland houses.

She added that choosing three new members from Adams and one from Leverett did not broaden the committee's outreach.

"I do have a hard time believing that [the candidates chosen] were so far and beyond all of the others," she said. "All other things being equal, you should choose people you know represent people who do not already have representation."

Lee, who is a blockmate of Kacholia and a former Crimson executive, said she believes that the committee is quite representative of the class.

"Even though we live in the same place, we represent diverse extracurriculars and diverse concentrations," Lee said.

Mishra said last week that his friendship with Bahat had no effect on the deliberations.

"[The treasurer candidates] were all very high-profile people on this campus," Mishra said. "They were people that a couple of us would know, on some level or another. The whole process was done very professionally."

Kaufman said last week that there were seven candidates for secretary, any of whom would have been "very good."

Kaufman said that the marshals discussed whether choosing so many candidates from Adams House might look bad, but that the marshals did not "let that stop [them] from choosing the best candidates."

Erin E. O'Malley '98, a marshal, said that she did not know Bahat, the sub-committee's choice for treasurer, and was therefore impartial.

"I feel 100 percent confident that we have the most qualified person for the job," O'Malley said. "To penalize [Bahat] because of the proximity in which he lives to another marshal would be unfair, and the class would lose out."

Diane Jellis, of the Classes and Reunions office, works with the class marshals to choose members of the Class Committee.

Jellis said that in the outside world, employers are sometimes forced to interview friends and family.

"I don't have a problem with it," Jellis said. "I think the orientation we gave them told them how important the job is. I have great faith in [the marshals].... We tell them, 'Just be careful.'

Lee, who is a blockmate of Kacholia and a former Crimson executive, said she believes that the committee is quite representative of the class.

"Even though we live in the same place, we represent diverse extracurriculars and diverse concentrations," Lee said.

Mishra said last week that his friendship with Bahat had no effect on the deliberations.

"[The treasurer candidates] were all very high-profile people on this campus," Mishra said. "They were people that a couple of us would know, on some level or another. The whole process was done very professionally."

Kaufman said last week that there were seven candidates for secretary, any of whom would have been "very good."

Kaufman said that the marshals discussed whether choosing so many candidates from Adams House might look bad, but that the marshals did not "let that stop [them] from choosing the best candidates."

Erin E. O'Malley '98, a marshal, said that she did not know Bahat, the sub-committee's choice for treasurer, and was therefore impartial.

"I feel 100 percent confident that we have the most qualified person for the job," O'Malley said. "To penalize [Bahat] because of the proximity in which he lives to another marshal would be unfair, and the class would lose out."

Diane Jellis, of the Classes and Reunions office, works with the class marshals to choose members of the Class Committee.

Jellis said that in the outside world, employers are sometimes forced to interview friends and family.

"I don't have a problem with it," Jellis said. "I think the orientation we gave them told them how important the job is. I have great faith in [the marshals].... We tell them, 'Just be careful.'