Council Chooses Committee to Survey Policies of Department of Fine Arts

The Student Council last night entered the three week-old controversy over the non-reappointment of Robin D. Feild '30, assistant professor of Fine Arts, with the announcement that a committee has been appointed to "survey the position of the Fine Arts Department in Harvard college."

Headed by Douglas Mercer '40, the committee is composed of William M. Fetcher '40, Blair Clark '40, and Laurence S. Levy '39. Two other members are still to be appointed.

The move came as a result of a petition submitted to the Council last week asking for a "report on the non-reappointment of assistant professor Robin D. Feild in particular, and the educational policy of the Fine Arts Department in general." The request was signed by 64 out of 80 concentrators in the Department.

Result of Petition

In announcing this action, the Council stated that "The Committee is to ascertain the opinion of both undergraduates and graduates concerning the Department, to discuss its general educational policy with particular attention to the emphasis on the historical approach to art as opposed to actual creative art, and to examine the positions of comparable departments in various other colleges and universities."

The group of Fine Arts concentrators which circulated the petition, and of which Fetcher is a member, is continuing its work of coordinating student backing for Feild, and is understood to have launched an extensive campaign soliciting support among alumni.