CEP Votes to Continue Field of Social Studies

The Committee on Educational Policy has voted unanimously to recommend to the Faculty that Social Studies be continued as a permanent field of concentration.

Edward T. Wilcox, secretary of the CEP, predicted last night that there will be no problem in gaining Faculty approval.

The Social Studies major was first established on a temporary basis for the Fall semester of 1960, with its status and policies subject to Faculty review after five years. If the Faculty goes along with the CEP's endorsement, the present Social Studies program will be maintained with no changes, although the Faculty might write into its approval a requirement for periodic reviews of policy.

Stanley H. Hoffmann, professor of Government and chairman of the Committee on Degrees in Social Studies, said last night he would not ask for expansion of the program when the review of Social Studies is taken up by the Faculty some time in March or April.

It would be "unwise," said Hoffmann to consider enlarging enrollment in the field at this time, citing the shortage of qualified teaching fellows. Increasing the size of enrollment, he said, would mean that "competition among the departments for tutors would become much more acute."

Currently 15 to 24 students are admitted to the Social Studies each year.

Hoffmann said he would not be averse to a provision for periodic reviews, noting that such a stipulation would not be unlikely. He declined, however, to make any prediction on what action the Faculty might take.

He indicated that at the Faculty meeting he would elaborate further on the problems and plans of the Social Studies committee but would not discuss his report in advance.