Faculty Council Mulls Disclosure Guidelines

A document discussed in yesterday's Faculty Council meeting recommends stricter disclosure guidelines for University affiliates using the Harvard name to promote their work.

The document, authored by Paul C. Martin, chair of the faculty committee on research policy, is a suggested revision of the University rules governing research and professional activities.

In several cases, researchers have exploited a Harvard connection to legitimize questionable conclusions, said council member James Hankins, professor of history.

"There was a case last year of someone who had been affiliated with the tobacco lobby and had published some piece of research that was highly questionable," Hankins said. "People found it embarrassing as it was affiliated with Harvard University."

Hankins said the case was discussed at yesterday's meeting, but the investigator's name was not given.

"This person had produced specious research that there was no connection between heart disease and smoking and he listed himself as Harvard University," Hankins said. "There was fear that people might think the person was a tenured faculty member here."

Investigators who use their University address but are not regular members of the Faculty should indicate the exact nature of their affiliation to Harvard, the document says.

The council also discussed requiring Harvard researchers to disclose who funds their work.

According to the document, faculty will have to comply with new National Science Foundation stipulations by 1995 calling for the disclosure of research funds and stricter enforcement of ethical lab practices.

The document says Harvard must establish "procedures for the review of disclosures," with a person or committee to keep records and resolve conflicts, and "enforcement mechanisms with sanctions" for conflict-of interest cases.

"The federal government is becoming increasingly concerned that they not fund research where faculty members are not following proper conflict-of-interest guide lines," said Secretary to the Faculty Council John B. Fox Jr. '59.

Hankins said the stricter regulations will not affect the humanities as much as the sciences.

In other business, the council spent almost an hour discussing the position and role of the dean of the College, but reached no conclusions.

Several council members called for an academic to fill the post currently held by L. Fred Jewett '57, who is slated to step down at the end of the year.

A recently released report on the structure of Harvard College recommends three possible structures for the deanship. One would put a professor in the post, uniting it with the job of the dean for undergraduate education.

But the council offered Dean of the Faculty Jeremy R. Knowles no conclusive advice.

"There was a lack of confidence as to what we ought to do," Fox said.

Sarah J. Schaffer contributed to the reporting of this story.

In other business, the council spent almost an hour discussing the position and role of the dean of the College, but reached no conclusions.

Several council members called for an academic to fill the post currently held by L. Fred Jewett '57, who is slated to step down at the end of the year.

A recently released report on the structure of Harvard College recommends three possible structures for the deanship. One would put a professor in the post, uniting it with the job of the dean for undergraduate education.

But the council offered Dean of the Faculty Jeremy R. Knowles no conclusive advice.

"There was a lack of confidence as to what we ought to do," Fox said.

Sarah J. Schaffer contributed to the reporting of this story.