Guardian Runs Pro and Con Articles On Administration's Tenure Program

Entitled "Education at the Crossroads," the lead article in the November issue of the Guardian, out today, presents the issues and conflicting points of view involved in the present controversy over Faculty tenure policy.

The Administration's "Case" is presented by Ward Hussey '40, editor-in-chief of the Guardian, who urges shifting the ground of the controversy from the level of "verbal brickbats" to a plane of serious and rational consideration in "an atmosphere of cooperation."

Enno R. Hobbing '40 and William N. Dale '40, president and managing editor of the social science review, take the other side of the intramural debate and rap the Administration sharply for its "present retreating, retrenching course of action."

Hits Emotionalism

Urging the "separation of constructive criticism of the Administration from the emotional recriminations of the 'You did too' variety," Hussey holds "that the Administration's case is strong enough to warrant the shifting of the debate from what has happened in the past to what can be done in the future."

He points out that "three-fourths of the 43 assistant professors (those whose terms expire in 1939 or 1940) have been or will be promoted," constituting "a permanent addition to the number of associate professors."

Hussey justifies "academic luminaries" on the ground that they constitute desirable "cross-pollination," and clears the Administration of the charge of "hasty action and ruthless action" and "bad faith" in last spring's decisions.

Suggests Modifications

As modifications of the present policy he suggests the retention, of single-term assistant professorships in the languages and social sciences; "frozen" associate professorships; and the giving of more weight to the opinions of younger men in making departmental decisions.

Hobbing and Dale maintain that as a result of the Administration's present policy, "Teaching in fields of concentration, affecting about half of the undergraduates, will be severely injured.... The best teachers and scholars will be lost... The staffing of the Faculty will be thrown out of joint."

Urge Elastic Financial Policy

They go on to attack the validity of the "fixed budget" concept, and state that "Financial management must be guided by an intelligent, elastic policy, not by an illusory rigidity."

Attacking the "top-heavy structure" of University government, they maintain that "Entangled in the web of its own methods, the Administration blundered, when wider distribution of responsibility and consultation would have secured proper education policy."

They propose as remedies that the Faculty be given control over educational policy; that undergraduate opinions should be consulted; that "a dean with close Faculty connections" should take over the duties of Financial Vice President; and that a standing Faculty Committee on the Budget should be appointed.