Faculty of Medicine Protests Nixon's Research Cutbacks

The Faculty of Medicine has adopted a resolution attacking the Federal government's sweeping cuts in the funding of the health professions.

The resolution called for "full participation by scientists in the establishment of priorities and the assessment of quality..."

Copies of the resolution were sent to President Nixon, as well as legislative and administrative leaders. Robert H. Ebert, dean of the Faculty of Medicine, could not be reached yesterday to evaluate the scope and significance of the reduction in Federal funds. Although the School of Public Health receives a smaller absolute amount from the government. Howard Hiatt, dean of the School of Public Health, said yesterday that even there the effects of the cuts would be extremely severe.

Already four junior faculty members have been laid off and more will probably have to be dismissed if the resources which President Nixon has proposed to withdraw are not restored. Hiatt said. More significantly, as few as 75 of the 240 who have decided to come to Harvard next year may actually matriculate. Hiatt said. About 50 per cent of these are foreign students, who are recipients of non-Federal aid from private foundations and the Agency for International Development.

Unless Congress, through a continuing resolution, permits funding for programs at their present levels, the School of Public Health will lose approximately two-and-a-half million dollars.

The cuts are "a meat axe, instead of pruning operation," Hiatt said