Tutors to Study History Changes

The History Department has referred to its Board of Tutors the two major recommendations of the Harvard Policy Committee's audit--abolishing junior generals and accrediting sophomore tutorial.

The action was interrepted as a good sign for adoption of the recommendations by the coordinator of the HPC audit, John V. Whitbeck '68.

Any change in the program will not be adopted until after Christmas vacation since they will be contingent on the Faculty's decision on pass-fail, H. Stuart Hughes, chairman of the department, said last night.

Changes, he said, would go into effect beginning next year.

The HPC audit was discussed fully at the department's weekly luncheon meeting at the Faculty Club, said Hughes. "The hour was completely devoted to consideration of the audit, and there was an unusually high attendance," he added.

The meeting, however, was limited to talk. "It was too early for any motions," Hughes said.

Elliott Perkins '23, head tutor of the department, said last night that he would meet with the 60 History tutors "two or three times, sift the issues out and then come back to the Senior Faculty."

Bitter Fight In '66

The approach of Hughes and Perkins appears strikingly different from the bitter and unsuccessful fight waged two years ago by a group of tutors for similar changes in the History program.

The chances for approval this year of some kind of reform seem better since the tutors are playing a larger official role in the decision, Whitbeck said last night. "The tutors are generally far more liberal than the Senior Faculty," he said.

The specific recommendations of the HPC audit, issued Oct. 19, were that sophomore tutorial become a full-year course offering one-half credit and that all General examinations be abolished as a long-range goal.

For now, the audit says, junior Gen- erals should be ended and non-honors seniors should not be required to take Generals.

Junior Generals, approved last year, will be given for the first time this spring. "They will certainly stand for this year," Perkins said