Med School Plans Revision of Titles

The Harvard Medical School is considering major revisions in its system of titles and appointments, Dr. Sydney S. Lee, associate dean of the Faculty of Medicine for Hospital Programs, said yesterday.

The proposed revisions--suggested by Dr. Robert H. Ebert, dean of the Faculty of Medicine, and two associate deans--are an attempt to update the present system of appointments instituted in 1947. They would affect half of the Medical School Faculty.

Two major proposals have been under considera on by the Faculty and may be revised before they are sent to President Pusey and the Corporation for final approval in late May, Lee said.

The first would make "associate professor," currently a tenured position, a non-tenured post. The second would change the title of a "clinical professor, part-time" who spends most of his time on clinical work to "clinical professor, full-time."

Because of a Harvard policy demanding that money to support all tenured posts be available before appointments are made, the number of associate professorships has been limited, Lee said.

If the post is made non-tenured, more associate professors could be appointed. According to Dr. Lee, the designation of "associate" rather than "assistant" professor will give a Faculty member more prestige in competing for jobs at other universities.

The proposed revision will also shorten the term of an associate professor from ten to five years. An associate professor presently serves ten years, but is guaranteed a professorship. Under the revised system there would be no such guarantee.

Three Groups

According to Dr. Lee, most of the Medical School Faculty now falls into three groups: those devoted to research, those devoted to teaching, and those devoted to clinical practice.

In the past, this was not the case, and the designation of "clinical professor, part-time" accurately described the post, Lee said. The title "clinical professor, full-time" will accurately reflect the professor's work, he explained.

A third proposal would eliminate the three-year "associate" position from the present order of appointments: "associate," "instructor," "assistant professor," "associate professor," "professor."

"The 'associate' post exists only at Harvard Medical School. It has no great utility at Harvard and it is meaningless to the rest of the academic world," Dr. Lee said.