TEACHERS' UNION URGES DRASTIC REFORMS

Democratization of departmental procedure in the matter of appointments and promotions, and standardization of Harvard's tenure system were urged yesterday in the March Bulletin of the Cambridge Union of University Teachers. The four-year-old A. F. of L. affiliate includes about 150 Harvard men in a total membership of 205.

Heading the committee which over a five month period prepared the report to which the current issue of the Bulletin is devoted, was Rupert Emerson '22, associate professor of Government. Other members of the group were Henry M. Hart, Jr. '26, professor of Law; Ernest J. Simmons '25, assistant professor of English and Union president; Perry G. E. Miller, assistant professor of History and Literature; Gordon W. Allport '19, associate professor of Psychology; Harry T. Levin '33, junior fellow; Arnold Isenberg '32, assistant in Philosophy; Wendell H. Furry, assistant professor of Physics; Edwin Mims, Jr., instructor in Government; and Paul M. Sweezy '31, instructor in Economics.

Report in Two Sections

The first section of the two-part report recommends specific measures to alleviate the inequalities and uncertainty of tenure prevailing among assistants and instructors, and urges the retention of valuable men by giving them permanent appointments even when promotion is impossible.

Calling for drastic reform of the present system, the second group of recommendations includes the election of department heads by all members of the department, and asks that elected departmental committees be set up for the purpose of "investigating and recommending men for appointment, promotion, or termination of appointment."

In dealing with the question of as- sistantships, the report makes four specific suggestions a uniform scale of payment for all departments; "uniform functions within departments and comparable services throughout all departments'; selection of assistants after a "democratic canvassing"; and the provision of more graduate scholarships to reduce part-time teaching by graduate students.

A standard three-year term for full-time instructors, many of whom now hold annual appointments, is urged, although one-year appointments are not precluded in "exceptional cases." In addition the committee sees a need for giving instructors an opportunity to branch out of tutorial work into lecturing and leading class discussions, with the end in view of aiding such men as cannot be "absorbed, into the University by promotion" to find positions elsewhere.

Retention Without Promotion

The committee holds that after eight years of service a man should definitely be told whether or not he will receive a permanent appointment. Where promotion to the rank of associate professor or professor is impossible, but the man is considered valuable, the report urges his retention on a permanent basis as preceptor, lecturer, or assistant professor.

At present permanent appointments are ordinarily restricted to associate and full professors.

Lowering of the minimum retiring age from 65 to 60 is also suggested, in order that the University "may, if it wishes, make room for the more rapid cedure put forward is the establishment promotion of gifted younger men."

Among reforms in departmental procedure put forward is the establishment of committees, elected by the whole of each department, including instructors, and having a rotating membership. The purpose of such committees as defined by the Union report would be to investigate from all angles the qualifications of candidates for appointment or promotion in order to "make possible a better selection of personnel."

Criteria of judgement which the Emerson committee sets up include the quality of the candidate's teaching ability, and of his research work, both published and unpublished, with particular emphasis on his probable success as a tutor if he falls in that category.

The tenure issue, first brought into the open by the Walsh-Sweezy case two years ago, was more recently revived by the controversy over the non-reappointment of Robin D. Feild, '30, assistant professor of Fine Arts