Only in the Ivy League

A unique idea emerges at Harvard...

Following complaints that it does little to promote campus social life, the Ivy League school has hired its first "fun czar" -- Zac Corker, a recent Harvard graduate whose job is to build community spirit and help stressed-out students unwind.

Corker knows a few things about kicking back. As an undergraduate, he helped organize numerous social events and put together a Web site -- www.hahvahdparties.com -- aimed at protecting students' "right to party."

Described by the student government chief as "a creative schemer," Corker has gone from student to administrator in a few short months. In exchange for room, board and a modest stipend, he now serves as the go-to guy for students who have ideas about social events but don't have the time or knowledge to navigate the school bureaucracy and bring them to fruition.

One week might see Corker putting the final touches on a speed-dating event; the next, he'll be working with students to organize a dodgeball tournament.

Corker's tenure will be short-lived: The 23-year-old has another job lined up with the Peace Corps later this year. Harvard plans to replace him, and Corker suggests it hire another recent graduate like himself.

...The idea of a fun bureaucracy -- the official Harvard newspaper dubbed Corker the "fun czar" -- may seem like an oxymoron, but apparently at Harvard it is badly needed.

Somewhere out there, Yale students are making jokes about this. And for once, they're right.