Residents, staff rush to defend Quad ADR

Community House Asst. Dean Diana Koros was not selected to return. Residents and staff members of Community House in the Quadrangle have been rallying in support of their assistant dean in residence, Diana Koros, after finding out last week that Koros will not have her contract renewed this fall. Housing officials, faculty members and students involved in selecting this fall's 12 new house deans -- positions in the college house system that will replace the current administrative fellows and assistant deans in residence -- decided to eliminate Koros from the candidate pool for the positions. The house dean position, which has been revamped slightly under the new system, will involve coordinating academic programming and support services for house residents Out of a pool of more than 100 applicants for the 12 house dean positions, about 25 were chosen earlier this month to move on to the next stage of the selection process. All seven of the current assistant deans and administrative fellows were in the initial candidate pool. Six of the assistant deans made the next cut. Koros was the only one who did not. Engineering Professor David Pope, who heads the house dean central screening committee, refused to comment on whether the six had advanced to the next level of the selection process, but several students within the residential system confirmed that all had advanced except for Koros. Koros could not be reached for comment last night. Resident advisers in Community House, who have been discussing the matter with Koros and with each other throughout the last week, said the decision to dismiss Koros -- who has worked with the house for four years -- is unfair. They claim housing officials failed to provide a valid reason for letting her go. "The decision to not have her continue the process further seems to me like it works against getting the best person for the job or, in this case, keeping the best person in the job," said College senior Ben Hammer, an RA in Community House. College senior Ivy Wong, also an RA in the house, said Koros told her staff that no reasons regarding her qualifications for the job were cited when housing officials announced that they would not renew her contract. "They didn't give her a clear reason why they didn't give her a job or let her try for a new position," Wong said. But Pope stressed that "the same criteria were used for all of the candidates." "We were absolutely meticulous about asking the same kind of questions and using the same kind of criteria in evaluating all of the candidates," he said. Academic Programs and Residence Life Director Chris Dennis said University policy prevented him from commenting on the circumstances of Koros' contract. But RAs close to Koros said University officials were looking at more than Koros' qualifications when deciding not to renew her contract. "I feel like this is some sort of political move on the part of the administration that might be related to more than just her," said College senior Sara Osborn, a Community House RA. "The house is extremely independent from the bulk of residential living." For example, Osborn said Koros opposed bringing graduate associates -- who would replace some of the RAs -- into next fall's house since graduate students are "far removed" from the freshman experience. "She fought to have more RAs put in instead of GAs, because that would definitely be more conducive to students here," Osborn recalled. "She was totally ignored, and she lost her job." Wong added that she thinks a "major personal conflict at the top" was used "as an excuse not to renew [Koros'] contract." "Which I think is ridiculous," she added. "It's hard enough finding competent people at this University." Pope explained that selection of viable house dean candidates was based "very much in their ability and interest in their advising," as well as "their interest and enthusiasm for the whole academic and in-house programs." Community House staff members claimed that Koros -- who is currently working toward her doctoral degree -- has certainly fulfilled her job description in past years. "She definitely has -- plus more," Osborn said. "All the students that live under her are extraordinarily happy as freshmen," she said, adding that Koros' presence, along with her two children, her dog and an au pair create a "homey environment" in the dormitory. Pope stressed that there was "no doubt that not all existing [assistant deans] were recommended" for the new positions. "I can understand how people in the houses that they come from would be upset by that," he added. In discussing the situation informally over the last week, Community House residents and staff have decided to individually send out letters to administrators and local newspapers advocating keeping Koros in her present position. Community House will house 486 students this fall.

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