Divinity Students Protest Administration 'Disregard'

A Divinity School student group threatened yesterday to withdraw from all standing student faculty committees protesting what it termed a "disregard of student input", by acting dean Rev. Preston N. Williams, especially in the school's decision to raise tuition next year.

In a letter distributed to Divinity students and faculty Thursday, a Divinity Student Association subcommittee cited "a growing feeling on the part of many student association members that the cumulative effect of the dean's actions is to raise the serious question of a breach of the trust on which the committee structure is founded."

David Williams '72, a spokesman for the subcommittee, yesterday criticized administration approval of a $650 increase in tuition despite strong student opposition and a faculty proposal for a smaller increase.

Patricia Hill, another subcommittee member, said that "while the budget issue is only one instance, it appears part of a larger pattern of disregard."

Hill said that because "students are integrated into the committee structure to a greater extent than in other segments of the University," such disregard was "particularly unfortunate."

Serious Consideration

The subcommittee's letter says that the student association "is giving serious consideration to recalling all student members from standing search and advisory committees," since "students are beginning to question the worth of time spent on seemingly unproductive committee work."

Reached at home last evening. Williams said, "I don't know anything about the letter. If the students had a grievance, they should have come to me." Williams, who last year replaced Krister Stendahl as Divinity School dean, declined further comment on the matter.

Hill said she was "extremely sorry" that Williams had not received a copy of the letter.