Jailed War Resisters Won't Lose Standing In GSAS, Elder Says

All graduate students whose "education is interrupted because of Selective Service" will be readmitted without loss of credit, even if they go to jail, John P. Elder, dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, said Friday.

Elder's recommendation was approved last week by the GSAS Administrative Board. Routine Faculty approval will be sought tomorrow.

Elder said that his proposal would apply to people who are drafted, volunteer, go into Peace Corps or Vista or other such programs, or "who for conscientious or moral reasons choose to go to prison."

If the Faculty approves, such students would be guaranteed readmission to the same program that they had left if they write GSAS within a year after their release.

Elder said that he couldn't guarantee to hold the same amount of financial aid available for such students, but he said "we'll do our level best to give it."

The Administrative Board, Elder said, voted to give the same treatment to incoming graduate students and to those already enrolled. "This seems to be just what we ought to do," he said.

"We can't change federal regulations," Elder said, "but we should make it as convenient as possible for a student to continue his education. It is an obligation on our part to hold out some return for our students."

Elder said that students who go to Canada or other countries in opposition to the draft would be considered "ad hominum." "We're not going to be vindictive about them," he said, "but in reality I don't think they'll be knocking on our door." He said that he thought it would be extremely difficult for such students to return to this country.

Elder said that his recommendations were not made in response to a similar decision made by the graduate dean at Princeton last week. "We've been ourselves pushing," Elder said, "and have been very seriously considering what action we should take for several weeks. I would say emphatically that this is not a reaction to the Princeton announcement."

Elder added that his recommendation might show students that "we haven't been sitting here in an unfeeling Ivory tower."