University Names Tonis To Head Civil Defense

The Corporation has approved the appointment of Robert Tonis as director of the University's civil defense office.

Although the Harvard Civil Defense Study Committee called last April for a full-time officer, Tonis will hold his new position simultaneously with those of police chief and security officer. Tonis will program shelter areas on campus and "co-operate" with local CD officials.

L. Gard Wiggins, administrative vice-president, said that as yet the University has received no request to mark or stock Harvard buildings. "If we do," he said, "we will give it serious consideration."

At present the University has no general policy on whether or not to co-operate with the federal government; Tonis will recommend such a policy to the Corporation. The Faculty committee urged a modest fallout shelter program but was disbanded by President Pusey before submitting its final report. Instead, the University decided to make CD planning an "administrative responsibility."

Tonis will probably work with a small staff in his Holyoke Center office, and receive technical assistance from Buildings and Grounds personnel on fallout protection factors of University basements and tunnels. Wiggins said that Tonis' CD studies will occupy a "substantial proportion" of his time until a program is developed and accepted by the Corporation.

A former agent of the FBI in Boston, Tonis took over as police chief last March, when he was also named security officer. In this latter position he is responsible "on measures to insure the safety of students and Faculty members and the preservation of valuable records."

As police chief, Tonis, a Dartmouth graduate, directs a 40-man staff guarding Harvard property and personnel.