Liberal Arts Grad Schools Losing Best Students to Business, Army

Dean Francis M. Rogers of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences yesterday said that fierce competition for scholars and a nation wide anti-intellectual reaction have caused an urgent problem in securing outstanding men for Liberal Arts graduate schools.

"With brains plus all around qualities at a premium, the grad schools are at a disadvantage in the competition with the armed services, and business and business schools, which can offer a much more lucrative inducement," Rogers said.

Where the top-flight business man makes a phenomenal figure, the academic professions can look to a top figure of only $6000 to $9000, Rogers said.

Referring to the widespread loan funds which Harvard and other Business Schools can offer "an investment to be repaid in the near future in the eyes of the Business School," Rogers claimed that any large GSAS loan would be like "a millstone around a student's neck." The Business School recently announced a policy designed to allow all qualified students to attend despite financial backgrounds and problems.

Rogers was expanding upon remarks made by Dean Bundy of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences which called for the graduate schools to "attract, entice, drive, pull or poke leading men and women students into the graduate schools."

Bundy had said graduate schools must increase their financial resources and enhance the scholar's prestige in society, in order to get better students.

Rogers added that low salaries often force scholars into extra jobs, which consequently result in overwork and a diversion from the main field of scholarly interest.

Rogers asserted that foundations such as the Woodrow Wilson Fellowship Program are the primary answer to the dilemma, since they offer a one year trial for the students to get a feel of profession of teaching and scholarship. One hundred and twenty-five Woodrow Wilson Scholarships will probably be awarded in the present year, which generally allow a student to study abroad on a $1,250 stipend.

Concern over the issue has forced 37 universities, from Canada as well as the United States, to form the Association of American Universities. This group agreed to sponsor the Woodrow Wilson Fellowship Program as the solution to their problem.