Faculty Will Not Seek A Recess For This Fall's Election Season

The Harvard Faculty yesterday rejected by large majorities two motions to reschedule next Fall's academic calendar so that students could work for anti-war candidates prior to Congressional elections in early November.

Instead, the Faculty overwhelmingly endorsed a third motion, introduced by Juan Marichal, professor of Romance Languages and Literatures, which called for maintaing normal academic proceedings, stating that "the sense of obligation every responsible citizen feels to participate in public affairs must be individual, not institutional choices."

Kilbreth Is Readmitted

Meeting in a closed session before its scheduled gathering, the Faculty also approved the readmission of James T. Kilbreth III '69, whom the Committee of Fifteen had separated from Harvard for his part in the April 1969 occupation of University Hall.

Kilbreth-who needed a majority vote of the Faculty to return to Harvard-is now serving a nine-moth prison term in the State House of Correction for assault and battery on Dean Watson during the seizure of University Hall. He will receive his degree in absentia at Thursday's Commencement.

Faculty members who favored the proposals to reschedule argued that the rescheduling was necessary to sustain long-term student anti-war activism. Pointing out that more than a dozen university faculties have already approved such plans, the professors said that their proposals did not conflict with educational practice.

Partisan Politics

Those against the motion, however, answered that it was not possible for students to do effective organizing within the 14-day period suggested by the proposals. They said that any rescheduling would "cheapen" Harvard's academic standards and force the Faculty into a partisan political stand as well.

One of the two motions, introduced by Everett I. Mendelsohn, professor of the History of Science, proposed that the Faculty approve an 11-day recess prior to the November 3 election and that it make up lost academic time by shortening vacations or January reading period.

A second motion, introduced by Roderick Firth, Alford Professor of Natural Religion, Moral Philosophy and Civil Polity, stipulated that in dividual professors arrange their fall courses "in a way that will not penalize students" who are out of classes for two weeks before the elections.

Immobile

The most heated discussion followed the introduction of Mendelsohn's proposal. "We are all committed to the preservation of this University.To remain immobile is not necessarily the best way to preserve the values that we cherish," Mendelsohn said.

But Bernard Bailyn, Winthrop Professor of History, said of the motion, "It sets a precedent which it will be impossible for us not to follow. It commits this Faculty to a position in a divisive policy question."

And Isadore Twersky. Littauer Professor of Hebrew Literature and Philosophy, charged that the motion would lead to a "decomposition of the academic process. What kind of dual educational experience are we creating by saying that only students who are non-students can be politically noble animals?" Twensky said. He received a brief ovation from many at the meeting.

Frank H. Westheimer, Morris Loeb Professor of Chemistry, spoke in favor of the motion and amended it to read that "we should make a bi-annual fall recess a regular part of our calendar" if the recess proved to be productive.

But James Q. Wilson, professor of Government, countered that such short-term activity could have no significant effect. "We are asking students to ignore everything that political science has to teach about politics." he said. Wilson also charged that the Mendelsohn motion was prompted by partisan considerations, "and for no other reason."

Westheimer's amendment lost on a voice vote, and Mendelsohn's proposal "was defeated by a vote of " 158 to 16.

Firth, who had earlier stated that he was favorable to Mendelsohn's proposal, said in introducing his own motion that the Marichal proposal "seems to do nothing at all to encourage meaningful political activity."

But H. Stuart Hughes, Gurney Professor of History and Political Science, cautioned those at the meeting to beware political stands while at the same time "to defend the values of the University life in which we all believe." He received a brief but ringing ovation.

Firth's motion failed by a vote of 143 to 44.

Marichal then elaborated on his proposal, stating that individual instructors might be able to arrange differing schedules in consultation with affected students. He added that the University by avoiding partisan stands, could continue "to maintain its extraterritorial authority and exercise its moral power." Otherwise, he said, its existence might "ultimately [be] brought into question."

His motion carried by a vote of 142 to 30.