Board of Overseers Convenes, Defers Decision on Brustein

The Board of Overseers met yesterday for the first of a two-day conference, but did not release a decision on the possible appointment of Robert s. Brustein, dean of the Yale School of Drama, as director of the Loeb Drama Center beginning in 1980.

The Board must approve the appointment before the University may officially hire Brustein.

Francis H. Burr, senior fellow of the Corporation, said yesterday he did not think a decision had been reached.

If the Overseers do rule on the Brustein appointment, they will probably vote today when the Board meets as a whole, Burr said. The Overseers met in smaller committees yesterday, he added.

Glen W. Bowersock '57, associate dean of the Faculty for undergraduate education, was present at the Overseers meeting yesterday, but last night declined to comment.

The Corporation also will meet tomorrow and may continue discussions on Brustein's appointment, Bur said. "I sort of assumed we had made an official sort of assumed we had made an official decision [at the November Corporation meeting], but now I really don't know," he added.

As a general practice, the Corporation officially approves major University appointments before passing the decision on to the Board of Overseers for final approval, Burr said.

In a related event, Brustein will appear before the standing Faculty Committee on Drama Wednesday to discuss his proposed undergraduate drama program with committee members, Franklin L. Ford, chairman of the committee, said yesterday.

Ford added the committee planned to concentrate on the role of student theater at the Loeb under Brustein's plan.

Kerry L. Konrad '79, president of the Harvard-Radcliffe Dramatic Club (HRDC), said yesterday the committee had discussed only the factual background of Brustein's proposal in its meeting last month. He added they had agreed to discuss "the substantive issues" in this Wednesday's meeting.

Konrad also said he did not see how the committee could discuss these issues with Brustein present.