ROTC, Merger Also Discussed

Besides the Wolff report, the Faculty managed to cover a variety of other topics, ranging from ROTC and the Harvard-Radcliffe merger to West European studies and student obstructions.

Dean Glimp, head of the negotiating committee that is trying to work out new ROTC contracts between Harvard and the Pentagon, told the Faculty what his committee was trying to do. Reiterating earlier statements, Glimp said that his committee was guided by the Faculty's vote last February to remove academic credit from ROTC courses.

Martin H. Peretz, assistant professor of Social Studies, challenged Glimp's statement that none of the ROTC programs--Army, Navy, or Air Force--would be changed next Fall. Glimp had said that the Army ROTC contract required a year's notice for changing the program, and that his committee had decided to treat all three programs with the same year-long negotiation time.

Peretz said that this was an example of the Corporation "taking its own initiative for decisions," and pointed out that the Navy ROTC contract could be changed by next Fall. "There is no reason for not stopping the other programs," he said.

Dean Ford then tried to clarify some of the things the Faculty could do by itself while Glimp's committee was working on new contracts. The Faculty has complete control over the courses listed in its catalogue, Ford said, adding that some separate listing for ROTC programs might be possible for next Fall.

Talk about Harvard-Radcliffe merger came up when Dean Ford introduced a motion asking the Faculty to appoint committees to study various aspects of the merger. Mary I. Bunting, president of Radcliffe, had planned to introduce the proposal, but since she has no official standing with the Harvard Faculty, Ford had to take her place.

After several Faculty members--including Oscar Handlin, Charles Warren Professor of American History, and Harry Levin, Irving Babbitt Professor of Comparative Literature--said that the committee studies might prejudge upcoming negotiations between the Corporation and Radcliffe's College Council, President Pusey replied that the Corporation would take no further action without Faculty study and advice. The resolution then passed unanimously.

Long debate on other topics kept the Faculty from even discussing a docketed motion by Bruce Chalmers, Master of Winthrop House. Chalmers's motion said that the Faculty "holds that controversial questions...can and must be resolved by discussion," and that the Faculty "would regard as unacceptable any attempt to obstruct normal University activities and procedures...whatever the motives may be."

Chalmers said last night that his motion came as a reaction to the forcible entry of students into last month's closed SFAC meeting. "In response to the clear threat made by SDS spokesmen when they moved into the meeting, it seemed appropriate that the Faculty should make clear that its failure to take action in the past must not be taken as a precedent for the future," Chalmers said. He called the motion "a warning, not a threat."

One other motion the Faculty discussed was a proposal by Stanley Hoffman, professor of Government, for the formation of a Standing Committee on West European Studies. Hoffmann said that the committee would not grant degrees, but would only co-ordinate research and teaching. The motion passed unanimously