Faculty Set to Approve AAAAS Before Sunday

The Association of African and Afro-American Students will be granted University recognition this afternoon or tomorrow, Dean Watson said yesterday.

Watson, chairman of the Faculty Committee on Student Activities, which rules on official recognition of undergraduate groups, said he expects to wrap up the long dispute over the University's relation to the Association in time for the start of Christmas vacation Sunday.

The way was cleared for recognition two weeks ago when the Association voted to change its controversial membership clause to meet the Faculty Committee's objections. The Committee had charged that the clause discriminated against white persons on the basis of race.

The precise change which was made in the membership clause has not yet been announced, but two sources reported yesterday that the clause had been simply eliminated. Another possibility is that the words "African and Afro-American" have been dropped from the clause, which originally read. "Membership in the Association shall be open to African and Afro-American students currently enrolled at Harvard and Radcliffe."

The Faculty Committee's rejection Nov. 19 of the Association's request for approval followed prolonged negotiations and several inconclusive Committee meetings. After the rejection, more negotiations took place.

Watson has not called a meeting to approve recognition of the Association. Instead, he is canvassing Committee members by telephone. It is considered extremely unlikely that any committee members will oppose recognition.