Harvard Signs Contract To Operate Accelerator

The year-long dispute between the University and the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission over control of the $12 million Cambridge Electron Accelerator officially ended Tuesday with the signing of a three-year contract for the operation of the accelerator.

Under the contract, the AEC will furnish Harvard and M.I.T. with $4 to $5 million a year to run the high-energy particle accelerator. Included in the contract are several provisions which limit the University's freedom to determine who can visit the Accelerator and do research there.

Harvard will be required to furnish the AEC with background information on all aliens doing research at the CEA, and will allow the commission the final say on Soviet-bloc scientists who do work there. The original contract proposals--which were rejected by the University--would have allowed the AEC to veto the employment application of any alien, not just those from Soviet-bloc countries.

Advance Notice Required

The CEA will also be required to notfly the AEC in advance of any formal visits planned by Soviet-bloc scientists, although there will be no control over "casual" visits. This provision represents a modification of the Commission's original demand that it control all visits to the CEA, and that the University file a detailed report after each visit by a Soviet-bloc guest.

A third restriction, which would have given the AEC control over all scientific information released by the CEA staff to Soviet-bloc scientists, was eliminated from the final contract at Harvard's insistence. Instead a provision was substituted which stipulates that "requests for unpublished information from foreign nations may be filled, but, when appropriate, information will be requested in return."

Provisions "Irritating"

Dean Ford characterized the final contract provisions as "irritating," but said they represent a definite improvement over the "intolerable limitations" originally demanded by the AEC.

Although the Accelerator--which began operating last March--is run jointly by Harvard and M.I.T., it is located on Harvard land and the University handled all negotiations with the AEC.