Duncan begins search for RAs, HRF

By Diane Ramirez     2/11/10 6:00pm

After passing the milestone of choosing its first masters, Duncan College is now on the search for resident associates and a head resident fellow. Duncan's RA and HRF search committees are composed of both Duncan freshmen and transfers and are facilitated by Duncan's current HRFs and future masters, Luis Duno-Gottberg and Marnie Hylton. Students who were interested in being part of the search committee turned in applications, from which Duno-Gottberg selected the final committee members. While there is one committee for both the RA and the HRF search, each part is headed by a different student.

Martel College sophomore Amber Makhani, head of the HRF Search Committee, said the committees already have approximately eight RA candidates for two RA positions and five HRF candidates for one HRF position, but she said she expects the numbers to double by today's application deadline. Once the committees have all the applications, the process will proceed by inviting the candidates to meals, giving them tours and holding a series of interviews.

"The whole process is very fast," Makhani said. "We have to choose so that we can get [the new RAs and HRF] involved in things like our committees and our transfer events fairly soon."

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Makhani expects the final decisions to be made by Willy Week. Meanwhile, the committees must focus their efforts on finding the perfect candidates for a position that will affect Duncan College for years to come.

"The first RAs and HRF will have a lasting effect on Duncan for more than their five-year term," Makhani said. "They will set precedents, and I want the bar to be set really high."

Makhani, who is transferring to Duncan next year, and Duno-Gottberg agree that this search is a very exciting process for a new college like Duncan. Duno-Gottberg said his experience at Duncan has been exciting and gratifying, especially since a new college means getting a lot of people to work together.

"The new RAs and HRF next year would be facilitating the creation of a new college," he said. "We are looking for someone who can contribute to the intellectual growth of the students, who is accessible to them, and who can provide guidance."

Makhani said she also thinks it is important for the future HRF to be able to work well with the future masters.

"Luis really wants someone who can be committed to community service," she said. "These efforts are very important to the future of Duncan and we want someone who will be concerned with the Duncan family, the Rice family and the Houston family in general."

Duncan freshman and head of the RA search committee, Marianne Braun, said that the completion of this process would help build Duncan.

"Having a good RA is really important in terms of making everybody feel at home," Braun said. "It is reassuring to know that someone is there."

The RA and HRF searches, together with future president and chief justice elections, the drafting of a constitution and the structuring of a new government, are building blocks that will help craft the identity of Duncan.

"[The search] looks very promising," Makhani said. "We want the best people at Duncan and all the ideas and help we can get. It is so exciting and I am thrilled I was given this opportunity to help.

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