Harvard to Change Controversial ‘House Master’ Title

The heads of Harvard’s undergraduate dormitories have agreed to change their controversial “house master” titles after some students criticized the name for being tied to slavery, school officials said Tuesday.

Administrators at the Ivy League school plan on selecting a new name for their house masters, according to The Harvard Crimson, the school’s student-run newspaper.

The leaders of Harvard’s dozen residential houses came to the decision unanimously, Dean of the College Rakesh Khurana told the college newspaper. “I have not felt comfortable personally with the title,” Khurana said.

“The recommendation to change the title has been a thoughtful one, rooted in a broad effort to ensure that the College’s rhetoric, expectations, and practices around our historically unique roles reflects and serves the 21st century needs of residential student life,” he added.

Harvard couldn’t be immediately reached for comment Tuesday evening.