New Dean's Inexperience Downplayed

Administrators took a chance on David P. Illingworth '71 this May, choosing him out of hundreds of applicants to be the new associate dean of the College charged with overseeing extracurricular activities, even though he has not held a similar position before.

Illingworth, who currently serves as associate director of financial aid, was chosen from a "a broad range of candidates," according to Georgene B. Herschbach, head of the search committee and associate dean of the College for finance and administration.

The pool included candidates from both inside and outside the University, some of whom had previous experience in student services.

But Illingworth won out, according to Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis '68 because of his ability to relate to students, his enthusiasm for music and connection to the College. Lewis selected Illingworth from a pool of fewer than 10 finalists chosen by a search committee.

The job description for the post called familiarity with the University "very helpful", and search committee members said Illingworth's experience with the College made him an attractive applicant.

He has a "deep knowledge of Harvard", said Judith H. Kidd, who served on the search committee and is assistant dean of the College for public service.

But Illingworth's connection to Harvard alone was not enough to earn him the post. He was "one of several" Harvard candidates in the pool of finalists, according to David B. Alpert '00, one of the three student members of the search committee.

Alpert said Illingworth stood out for his friendly demeanor-he happily posed with his velvet Elvis for a Crimson pho- tographer--and his ease with students.

"He was very fun to talk to," Alpert said. "Wereally felt he was someone that students would beable to talk to, that he would listen."

Illingworth will perform most of theresponsibilities previously handled by outgoingDean of Students Archie C. Epps III, but committeemembers said their job was not simply to find anEpps replacement.

"It's hard to imagine finding someone like DeanEpps," Herschbach said. "He's unique and thatwould be an impossible quest. What we did was takeHarry's job description. We listened carefully tohis description of the job and what he wanted insomeone and read the dossier with this in mind."

Still, search committee members noted someparallels between the new dean and hispredecessor.

Illingworth has specialized in evaluatingstudents' musical work for the admissions office,and Epps too was involved in music at the Collegesince his days as a member of the Harvard GleeClub.

Illingworth, an Episcopal minister, shares abackground in religion with Epps, who graduatedfrom the Harvard Divinity School.

But unlike Epps, who served as assistant deanof students before ascending to his current post,Illingworth has not dealt with student servicesdirectly before. Still, search committee memberssay his work thus far has equipped him well.

"When it came down to it, he's had a lot ofexperiences that seem to prepare him well forthis," Alpert said. "His different functions infinancial aid and his community work in Boston hashad some impact in preparing him."

Appointing Illingworth had the added benefitthat administrators had a lot of information abouthis abilities, making him "very free of risk,"according to Lewis.

"Mr. Illingworth has been around long enoughthat we know a great deal about his character andhis style of working with people and solvingproblems," Lewis wrote in an e-mail message.

In addition to Herschbach, Kidd and Alpert, thesearch committee included Angela A. Wu '01, SujitM. Raman '00, Director of the Office of CareerServices William Wright-Swadel and Assistant Deanof the College for Co-education Karen E. Avery'87

"He was very fun to talk to," Alpert said. "Wereally felt he was someone that students would beable to talk to, that he would listen."

Illingworth will perform most of theresponsibilities previously handled by outgoingDean of Students Archie C. Epps III, but committeemembers said their job was not simply to find anEpps replacement.

"It's hard to imagine finding someone like DeanEpps," Herschbach said. "He's unique and thatwould be an impossible quest. What we did was takeHarry's job description. We listened carefully tohis description of the job and what he wanted insomeone and read the dossier with this in mind."

Still, search committee members noted someparallels between the new dean and hispredecessor.

Illingworth has specialized in evaluatingstudents' musical work for the admissions office,and Epps too was involved in music at the Collegesince his days as a member of the Harvard GleeClub.

Illingworth, an Episcopal minister, shares abackground in religion with Epps, who graduatedfrom the Harvard Divinity School.

But unlike Epps, who served as assistant deanof students before ascending to his current post,Illingworth has not dealt with student servicesdirectly before. Still, search committee memberssay his work thus far has equipped him well.

"When it came down to it, he's had a lot ofexperiences that seem to prepare him well forthis," Alpert said. "His different functions infinancial aid and his community work in Boston hashad some impact in preparing him."

Appointing Illingworth had the added benefitthat administrators had a lot of information abouthis abilities, making him "very free of risk,"according to Lewis.

"Mr. Illingworth has been around long enoughthat we know a great deal about his character andhis style of working with people and solvingproblems," Lewis wrote in an e-mail message.

In addition to Herschbach, Kidd and Alpert, thesearch committee included Angela A. Wu '01, SujitM. Raman '00, Director of the Office of CareerServices William Wright-Swadel and Assistant Deanof the College for Co-education Karen E. Avery'87