'Encouraging' Signs Cited On Harvard Offer to Pole

University and U.S. officials said yesterday "encouraging" developments have increased the chances that a Polish dissident poet, who was invited to teach here more than two years ago but has been unable to obtain an exit visa, will be permitted to leave Poland.

The developments include the reinstating of Stanislaw Baranczak to the university from which he was fired in 1978, ostensibly for his dissident activities, and the decision by the controlled state press to publish his latest book, a Harvard professor who met with Baranczak this month said yesterday.

Wiktor Weintraub, Jurzykowski Professor of Polish Languages and Literatures Emeritus, returned Wednesday from a visit to Poland and said the atmosphere had improved during the general easing of restrictions following the resolution of Poland's summer labor strikes.

"People now think (Baranczak) will be able to leave, possibly in time for the spring semester," he said, adding, "I am rather optimistic that in two to three months, we will get him."

Donald E. Fanger, chairman of the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures, which offered Baranczak the position, cautioned that there was "no news" on whether the poet would be allowed to leave Poland. Rucjan Nieczkowski, a spokesman for the Polish Embassy in Washington, said he knew of no change in the situation.

Hopeful

But William E. Schaufele Jr., who served as U.S. Ambassador to Poland from 1978 until last month and was actively involved in talks regarding Baranczak, called the decision to allow Baranczak to return to the University of Poznan--apparently at students' requests--"encouraging" and "a good sign."

"It's not very often that the government has done that sort of thing," Schaufele said from New York yesterday. He acknowledged that a deal that would have allowed Baranczak's departure more than a year ago fell through at the last minute, but he declined to give details.

A 33-year-old poet, essayist and literary critic, Baranczak in March 1978 accepted an offer, which has remained open, of an associate professorship in the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures.

After protests by President Bok to the Polish Embassy, Polish officials wrote back this summer suggesting six other scholars for Harvard to invite, sources said. Bok's response has not been released. Daniel A. Steiner '54, general counsel to the University, who has been handling the matter for Bok, declined comment yesterday.

Weintraub said people at the University of Poznan where Baranczak teaches, assured Weintraub there would be "no