Council Accuses Dean's Office of Ignoring Pact

Student Council officers declared yesterday that the Dean's office has violated its traditional gentleman's agreement with the Council by failing to consult with the student representative group on the question of extended joint instruction before the matter was adopted by the Faculty.

The Faculty of Arts and Sciences passed Tuesday a proposal to the Harvard and Radcliffe governing boards to allow freshman courses to be conducted coeducationally. The proposal was never presented to the Council, according to Edward F. Burke '50, Council president.

"Unfortunate"

"Though it has no legislative power, the Council has always been consulted on matters of importance to the students before the matters are acted upon," Burke said, "and it is unfortunate that we were not informed by the Deans of this joint instruction question when it was still pending."

The basis of the Council's charge is a long-standing agreement between the Dean of the College and the Council, which was reaffirmed by Dean Bender at the Council's first meeting this year.

The text of the agreement as stated by former Dean Hanford in a paper on the Student Council is: "... that no important change in the educational policy ... of the College will be made without first consulting the Council and seeking its advice."

Second Occasion

Burke last night said the only other time he remembered that the Council was not consulted on such a matter was when undergraduate tuition was raised for the first time two years ago.

Council treasurer Roy M. Goodman '51 said, "Perhaps there are some special considerations which have prevented the administration from consulting us this time, if there are we should like to know them."

Dean Bender said last night that he would prefer not to comment on the issue. He has a regular meeting with the Council officers today.

Radcliffe Dean Sherman has implied that the Annex would approve the extension of joint instruction. She doubted that Radcliffe would object if the governing boards passed the new measure. A protest from the Annex Administrative Council would be unlikely, she said.