GSD Analysis

Faculty appointments in the GSD have always been pursed in a haphazard fashion, generally through the personal recommendation of one faculty member to the dean. This procedure--affectionately known as the "buddy" system--has served the Design School's purpose well. The system is self-perpetuating--the GSD faculty is primarily male--and usually recommends male applicants.

In 1971-72, the GSD had only two women faculty members, and none that were tenured. Last spring, the GSD hired five more women, although none have yet received tenure. A tenured appointment has not been made at the GSD since 1966.

The addition of five women to the faculty is a result of pressure from President Bok and the GSD's special Committee on the Status of Women. The appointments were not made under a defined criteria, but through the age-old "buddy" system.

M. Christine Boyer, assistant professor of City and Regional Planning, said Friday that an M.I.T. professor mentioned her to someone on the GSD faculty. "After I heard they were considering me. I called the GSD to find out about the appointment." Boyer explained.

According to Megan Lawrence, a member of the Committee on Women. Maunce D. Kilbridge, dean of the GSD, promised to provide the committee with search lists of qualified women applicants Lawrence says Kilbridge could never produce these lists, although he later explained that each department chairman kept lists, but the dean's office did not.

Kilbridge said last week that he plans to include one of the new women faculty members on the Committee on Women. Although there were two women faculty members last year, they did not serve on the committee.