Linguistics Claims New Life

The Department of Linguistics, which last spring seemed unlikely to remain a department at all, has now begun a drive to recruit two tenured professors and expand its curriculum.

The rejuvenation comes after a rocky spring in which students and faculty protested an advisory committee's report that recommended demoting the department to a committee.

The change from department to committee could have meant the loss of autonomous powers such as the ability to appoint professors, offer courses, and have a graduate program.

"We wanted to let the administration know how strongly we felt about the department and that they couldn't just get rid of us," said Glenn M. Davis '95, a linguistics concentrator who opposed the demotion.

Potebnja Professor of Ukranian Philology Michael S. Flier, who became chair of the department in July, said he wants to make several improvements in the department and increase the number of tenured professors from three to five.

"The search for tenure appointments is moving along," Flier said. "We are hopefully looking forward to our first appointment in the spring."

The department staff has discussed revisions to the curriculum, but they are still in the planning stages, he said.

The department is also making new efforts to draw students into the decision-making process. Davis said he, another undergraduate and two graduate students have begun to attend the department's faculty meetings. "Professor Flier is enthusiastic and is making an effort to meet all of the concentrators," Davis said. "There is a much more positive energy within the department."

Flier also applauded the department's recent move from the basement of Grays Hall to new offices at 77 Dunster Street, which supply more space for advising and studying.

The department's final home will be in Boylston Hall, which is currently undergoing renovations, Flier said.

"Students seem to look forward to a more central location in the Yard," he said.

Despite the department's loss of two junior faculty members last year, concentrators said yesterday they were confident that linguistics at Harvard has a promising future under a sound leader.

"The concentrators are in much better spirits and very excited about a chair who is actually a linguist," said Joel L. Derfner '95, a linguistics concentrator.

And the new chair shares their optimism.

"Things are looking up," Flier said. "We welcome any undergraduates and graduate students into the department."