Edward Wilcox

Ted Wilcox picks up an idea in conversation, quints at it, kicks it around, then carves away the academic dressing and puts it to work. His approach to the business of education is practical and pragmatic: "If it works--OK--but I don't want to get all tied up by a lot of petty rules and procedure. I want to be able to move flexibly--experiment with new ideas."

Wilcox calls himself a "utility infielder--one of those guys you bring along and teach to play as many spots on the team as you need." He has spent almost his entire career in administration--moving from Assistant Dean of Freshmen, to Director of Admissions, to Director of the Freshmen Seminar program and Advanced Standing, and now Chairman of the Committee on General Education. But he believes strongly that the teaching men of the faculty should control the courses. "That's one of the unique things about Harvard," Wilcox says smiling, "guys like me, the full-time administrators, are a rarity. Under Conant we never would have stayed; when Bundy came in he decided to keep some; but I think Harvard takes a great deal of pride in the fact that we're few in number and that it's the teaching men who run the show."

Although Wilcox and his committee now have official jurisdiction over all non-departmental curriculum, Wilcox insists that the teaching men will continue to run General Education. "People think that we'll be going into conclave and coming out with demands for a whole new batch of courses. Well I don't think we could get those courses just by telling the departments that we want them." The committee will be a sounding board for new ideas--a means for organizing and implementing new proposals--rather than a source of command. "I'll be acting as a kind of staff sergeant--taking orders and ideas from everyone."

According to the plan approved by the Faculty in November, Wilcox's committee is responsible for implementing the CEP proposals--moving into the second stage of Gen Ed's tortuous agrormamento. The new plan is simple enough in theory: Students may now substitute a sequence of designated departmental and upper level courses for a lower level Gen Ed course to satisfy their requirement in any area. But in practice, Wilcox warns, "the process will be long and difficult. It'll be reaffirmation bit by bit. They'll be problems all along the way."

One of his most important problems will be persuading the teaching men to give upper level Gen Ed courses: "They like to specialize, you know. It's so difficult to be sure what really converts consensus into action. I don't think any rule requiring 10% [of a department's teaching time] will do any good. I've just got to have faith that when they voted they weren't just saying. 'Gee this is a damn good plan, let the other guy teach the gen ed course!'" Another problem will be designating the departmental courses: "ensuring that the lower level and upper level sequence really works out."

But Wilcox insists that these and other questions must be ironed out "as we look at individual courses and specific situations." His mind works on an operational level. He avoids definitions, generalizations, sweeping conclusions and philosophies of education. At a vague abstraction his brows furrow, a slight smile forms at the corners of his mouth. "You've got to talk about concrete situations", he says brusquely. "I don't believe there's any one flat philosophy that can serve everyone best. I think people sought to be given options."

The new Gen Ed program, Wilcox hopes, will maximize those options--"give students a wide choice between different courses and outlooks." He plans to provide upper level "core" courses which will give concentrators in a particular field a generalized view of their entire area; and he hopes to continue the "terminal" lower level offerings for those who want to end their academic careers in a particular area with one course.

But the administrative details are all "games and stuff." Wilcox plows through the jungle of Gen Ed verbiage like a huge bear, knocking off the giants as he goes. "Hell," says Wilcox, "I wouldn't expect a whole ream of new and exciting courses in the fall of '66. But after all this talking, I guess its about time to get this thing off the ground."