Deans Defend Harvard Hiring, Deny Carnegie Report Claims

Harvard faculty and administration members said yesterday they have already undertaken most of the reforms recommended by the Carnegie Higher Education Commission report released Tuesday.

The report charged, among other things, that university and college hiring procedures are not increasing the number of women and minority group faculty members fast enough.

"Not before the year 2000 and perhaps not even then will the percentage of women and minority members on faculties be in proportion to their representation in the labor force," Dr. Clark Kerr, commission chairman, said this week.

Harvard Belles

Robert J. Kiely '60, associate dean of the Faculty, defended Harvard's faculty hiring procedures yesterday, saying, "I think schools like Harvard and others that are trying very hard to recruit women and minorities will belie that [the commission's prediction]. But generally I think it will be true."

The Commission advised colleges and universities to strive to avoid bigness and inadequate undergraduate programs and to aim for greater diversity in their course offerings.

Dean Whitlock said yesterday Harvard is within the size guideline of 12,000 to 15,000 students suggested by the commission but he said he felt the University should not increase any further.

Commenting on the commission's suggestion that students reluctant to attend school be encouraged to leave, Whitlock said that the University has always encouraged students uncertain about their future to take a year off.

Edward T. Wilcox '49, director of General Education and Freshman Seminars, said yesterday that the purpose of freshman seminars is to meet the need for uplifting undergraduate education pointed out by the commission.