Governance Committee Asks for Suggestions On Choosing President

The University Committee on Governance released today a detailed memorandum concerning the choice of a new president for Harvard.

The memorandum makes no recommendations for the presidency, or for the selection process. Instead, it raises a variety of issues-and asks for suggestions from the community-in three areas:

procedures for selecting a president;

the functions and structures of the office of the president;

the qualifications to look for in a new president.

The Committee on Governance was established last Fall at the request of the Board of Overseers and charged with devising ways to improve the governing processes of the University. It includes student and faculty representatives from the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and the eight graduate professional schools, two Overseers, one Corporation member, a Radcliffe trustee, and a representative of the Associated Harvard Alumni. Dean Dunlop is chairman.

First Report

Today's memorandum is the committee's first report to the Harvard community. The committee will distribute it next week and will make recommendations to the Overseers and the Corporation based on community response.

Under "Issues Relevant to the Funetions and Structure of the Office of the President," the memorandum mentions "the obligation of the President to become the national leader of private higher education" and the responsibility of the president in Harvard's relations with the community.