University Not to Seek Photos on Applications

The University will not require photographs from any applicants to the Medical School, the Law School, and the College this year. This decision was made in compliance with the Massachusetts Commision against Discrimination's December, 1957 ruling that all schools in the state must stop requesting pictures from applicants.

Dean Bender said yesterday that the Admissions Offices of the three schools have decided jointly to try to judge candidates without the aid of photographs during the coming year.

"No one yet knows what difference the new policy will make," Bender stated, but he felt that the University might reopen the issue later if there is too much difficulty. At present there is no reference to photographs on any application, and secondary schools have been asked especially not to make any statement "which would indicate the candidate's race, creed, color, or national origin" in their reports.

Photos Aid Admissions

Bender noted that photographs seem to give two important aids to the Freshman Admissions Committee without any discriminating purpose. First, they help keep the admissions process "personalized" and "fight the tendency against mechanized procedures." And second, they are useful to help recall "mental images" and impressions about candidates which are lost when decisions must be made only from written material.

"Besides," Bender added, "there are all kinds of ways you can tell discriminatory evidence other than pictures. Personal names, interviews, and the name of the applicant's school may all be used for discriminatory purposes if a College wishes to do so." In some cases, he pointed out, pictures could even be of help to a student from an "unusual background" who might not have had the opportunities of his fellow applicants.

GSAS and Business School Share Views

Neither the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences nor the Business School required any photographs from applicants last year. However, Bender said that the two schools "share our views" that photographs can be an important aid in choosing students without being used for any discrimination.