New Dean

No holes were dug and no scaffolds were raised, but the University quietly underwent one of its most significant changes in the past decade Sunday when A. Michael Spence took over as Dean of the Faculty, the second most important administrative position at Harvard.

Spence, 40, formerly chairman of the Economics department, replaces Henry Rosovsky, now simply Geyser University Professor, Rosovsky, who specializes in the economics of Japan will return to teaching this spring after taking a fall semester leave.

Spence could not be reached for comment yesterdays and Rosovsky, after taking calls from reporters for 11 years, declined comment through his secretary.