Fainsod to Leave Post as Director Of Russian Research Center Here

Merle Fainsod will retire June 30 as director of Harvard's Russian Research Center. Abram Bergson, professor of Economics, will succeed him in the post, which is customarily held for five years.

Dean Ford announced earlier this week that Fainsod has been named Leroy B. Williams Professor of History and Political Science and a Walter Channing Cabot Fellow.

Fainsod said last night that he did not plan to work on any special projects after giving up his post at the Research Center, but added that he hopes to have additional time to devote to teaching. He will remain associated with the Center.

Three-Year Grant

The Cabot Fellowship to which he has been elected is a three-year, $1000 grant awarded in recognition of distinguished performance on the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. There are currently three Cabot Fellows.

Bergson, Fainsod's successor at the Research Center, is on a leave of absence while working at the Ford Foundation's Center for Behavioural Sciences in Stanford, Calif.

By assuming the Williams chair, Fainsod--whose present title is professor of Government--will succeed William Y. Elliott, now teaching at American University in Washington, D.C. Elliott retired from the Harvard Faculty last June.