Dean Bender

Next July, Dean Bender will move from his present office to that of the Dean of Admissions. If it meant no more trouble to him than remembering to enter University Hall by the north entry rather than by the south, his move would hardly be worthy of mention. But instead, it represents the greatest challenge to Dean Bender's ability that he will have faced in the twenty years of his service to the University.

Among his new responsibilities will be that of keeping a firm grip on the new and aggressive alumni program to recruit students without buying them. He must see to it that the present clean admissions policy is not perverted in the execution.

His duties will, as well, go beyond those implied in his new title, for the Dean of Admissions will also serve as chairman of the Faculty Committee on Scholarships and Financial Aid. In this capacity, Dean Bender must find new financial sources to support the fast-diminishing Scholarship Fund. And he must inter-grate and policy with admissions policy more closely than has been done in the past.

If Dean Bender's record in the office of the Dean of Harvard College is any indication, he is the best successor to Richard M. Gummere possible. He has not only performed the routine disciplinary job of his office ably and efficiently, but has has organized and produced the Report on Advising that bears his name--a program that is basically sound. While serving as assistant dean, he played an important part in developing the University's National Scholarship Program. The issue on which we consider Dean Bender's record poor, that of parietal rules, hardly reflects on his ability to administer admissions and financial aid policy.

Dean Bender's attitude toward admissions policy is similar to his predecessor's in all major respects. He is in favor, as are we, of a student body that includes a wide variety of skills and tastes, one that is not overbalanced in any direction. In applying this, we are confident that Dean Bender will not permit anything to get out of control. We are confident that he will do the same competent and efficient job that he has done as Dean of the College.