CUE Decides to Endorse Drama Courses for Credit

The Committee on Undergraduate Education (CUE) yesterday unanimously endorsed drama courses for credit as proposed by Robert S. Brustein, future director of the Loeb and director of the American Repertory Theater (ART).

The Faculty must still approve the CUE proposal, under which the Faculty Committee on Dramatics would be empowered to hire instructors.

CUE also agreed to include, as part of its presentation to the Faculty Council, stipulations to ensure wider student participation in dramatics.

These measures provide for unlimited enrollment in introductory theater courses (with limited enrollment courses restricted by class rather than by talent), and non-credit courses open to everyone, or , if necessary, limited only by class.

The Committee on Dramatics yesterday unanimously endorsed these provisions, which the Educational Resources Group submitted last month.

Also, CUE agreed ART should allow students not enrolled in acting classes to act in ART shows, and courses should not require students to write program notes for ART productions.

Brustein yesterday called the CUE suggestions "wonderful." "Finding a way to get more students into the courses was a masterstroke," he added.

Liz Maguire '80, president of the Harvard-Radcliffe Drama Club, said yesterday, "I think it's the best way for students to take advantage of Brustein's being here. The ART is an exceptional group in terms of what it can offer for courses."

Although she originally opposed Brustein's coming, Maguire voted in favor of the CUE stipulations. She added that the Dramatic Club as a whole is reacting more positively now.

"Given the situation, probably most members of the board are now in favor of having the classes in lieu of the stage time," she said.

CUE also passed a proposal which would allow students to change the status of a course from pass/fail to graded until the Monday after Thanksgiving recess in the fall and the Monday after March break in the spring. However, under the proposal students may change only one course after the fifth Monday of the term, the present deadline for such a change.

In another vote, CUE proposed that students should take make-up examinations by the end of the fourth week of the succeeding semester.

Glenn W. Bowersock '57, dean of the Faculty for undergraduate education, said at the meeting he will discuss administrative aspects of the proposals with Dean Fox. He pointed out that professors may not have enough time to write up a second exam after the fall term, but added that this probably will not be a problem.

The faculty must adopt both proposals before the procedures are instituted