Divinity School May Halve Women's Studies Program

The Divinity School may halve its women's studies program, the only such organized program in the University, because of budgetary restrictions, Krister Stendahl, dean of the Divinity School, said yesterday.

Stendahl said it is not yet clear how many research associates in women's studies the school will be able to appoint for next year, although he said he is "quite sure we will have two or three."

There are now five associates in the program.

Nearly 200 students in the program signed a petition three weeks ago when the possible cutbacks were announced, attesting to the program's "valuable contribution to education at the school," M. Brynton Lykes, the program coordinator, said last night.

"It's been a very successful program, and it's been very useful," Stendahl said. He said he has received letters from all over the country protesting the proposed cuts.

"The issue is how much funding we can find," he said. The Divinity School will not increase tuition for next year.

Lykes said she feels "one manages to find money where you need to" and added, "That's not my problem. The budget is set up so tenured faculty get 90 per cent, and other special interest groups are pitted against each other for the remaining 10 per cent."

She said, however, that she is "sympathetic to the dean's position."

Margaret Hunt '77, a member of the steering committee for the Radcliffe Union of Students, said yesterday that about ten undergraduates are enrolled in courses in the Divinity School program, which she called, "the only real program that exists in the University."

The Divinity School faculty voted last year to continue the program, which was instituted in 1973, for five more years.

"There is no question of the program's being terminated," Caroline W. Bynum, associate professor of Church History, said yesterday. Bynum, who is on the selection committee for associates for the program, declined further comment.

The associates are given joint appointments in the program and in the Divinity School departments. Lykes said the original proposal for the program called for seven associates, one in each department, but that there have never been funds for so many appointments.