Faculty Council Contemplates Rule Changes

In an effort to make it more difficult to withhold academic status information from parents, Dean of the College L. Fred Jewett '57 proposed alterations to the College's academic rules at the Faculty Council meeting yesterday.

Jewett also suggested changes that would allow students to enroll in courses which meet simultaneously and that would allow some seniors to study out-of-residence during their last semester.

"We haven't changed any absolute rules," Jewett said in an interview yesterday. We're trying to clarify our rules and allow provisions so that we're not prejudging individual circumstances."

Under the first of the dean's proposals, students could withhold some academic criteria--such as grades, leaves of absence and academic probations--from their parents only under extenuating circumstances.

The proposals is intended to help the College communicate with parents should unusual circumstances arise, said Gary King, professor of government and Faculty Council members.

"I can understand why I wouldn't want my parents to know what was happening to me," King said. "But the other side is, suppose there's suicide attempt and the student leaves school... the administration ought to be able to call someone."

If College officials suspect that a student is extremely depressed or in danger, communication with the student's parents must preempt that student's wishes to withhold information, said Baird Professor of Science and council member Gary J. Feldman.

"There is a feeling that these are the types of things parents should know about, except in very exceptional cases," Feldman said.

Jewett's second proposal would allow students to enroll in classes that meet at the same time only if one class is videotaped, if the taped class does not include class participation and if the student misses no more than one-third of class time.

The professor of both classes would also haveto agree to the alternative arrangement and makeprovisions for any exams or other work which mayconflict.

Under the current policy, only second-semesterseniors who need both classes to graduate canenroll in over lapping classes.

Jewett said he designed the new provisions toprovide some flexibility but not to encouragestudents to enroll in courses that meetsimultaneously.

"We're not making it easy because we aren'ttrying to open up that whole category," Jewettsaid. "We're just trying to make provisions forthe alternative coverage of material, providedthat all of our specifications are met."

The classic example of a course in whichstudents should simultaneously enroll is SocialAnalysis 10, Feldman said. Ec 10 is taught mainlyin section, and every lecture is videotaped.

Professor of Chinese History Peter K. Bol saidthe University is trying to be fair. "While theseconstraints seem strict, the University is tryingto offer more flexibility," Bol said. "Comparethat with nothing."

Jewett's third proposal suggest that studentsbe allowed to spend their last semesterout-of-residence if they meet specificrequirements.

But this reprieve won't apply to many students,Jewett said. "If a student wants to spend theirlast term out-of-residence they could now do so iftheir plans for study were first approved by theStanding Committee on Studies Out-of-Residence."

"In order to do this, however, the studentwould have had to have completed all of theirdepartmental and graduation requirements atHarvard already," Jewett added. "Essentially,students would have to have only electives left inorder to take advantage of this option."

Students who opt to spend their last term awayfrom Cambridge will also have to return to campusto take their general exams, Jewett said.

"On the whole, we're not changing therules--rather, we are making them more clear andsomewhat more flexible," Jewett said.

Ethnic Studies

Dean of the Faculty Jeremy R. Knowles alsoannounced yesterday his appointees to therecently-established Ad Hoc Committee on EthnicStudies.

While the "formal mission" of the committee hasyet to be defined, the new members will convenebefore the end of the year.

Thomson Professor of Government Jorge IgnacioDominguez will chair the committee. Other memberswill be: Lowell Professor of Sociology StanleyLieberson, Cabot Professor of English Literatureand Professor of Afro-American Studies WernerSollors, Winthrop Professor of History Stephan A.Thernstrom, Professor of Chinese History andPhilosophy WeiMing Tu and Loeb Associate Professorof the Social Sciences Mary C. Waters

The professor of both classes would also haveto agree to the alternative arrangement and makeprovisions for any exams or other work which mayconflict.

Under the current policy, only second-semesterseniors who need both classes to graduate canenroll in over lapping classes.

Jewett said he designed the new provisions toprovide some flexibility but not to encouragestudents to enroll in courses that meetsimultaneously.

"We're not making it easy because we aren'ttrying to open up that whole category," Jewettsaid. "We're just trying to make provisions forthe alternative coverage of material, providedthat all of our specifications are met."

The classic example of a course in whichstudents should simultaneously enroll is SocialAnalysis 10, Feldman said. Ec 10 is taught mainlyin section, and every lecture is videotaped.

Professor of Chinese History Peter K. Bol saidthe University is trying to be fair. "While theseconstraints seem strict, the University is tryingto offer more flexibility," Bol said. "Comparethat with nothing."

Jewett's third proposal suggest that studentsbe allowed to spend their last semesterout-of-residence if they meet specificrequirements.

But this reprieve won't apply to many students,Jewett said. "If a student wants to spend theirlast term out-of-residence they could now do so iftheir plans for study were first approved by theStanding Committee on Studies Out-of-Residence."

"In order to do this, however, the studentwould have had to have completed all of theirdepartmental and graduation requirements atHarvard already," Jewett added. "Essentially,students would have to have only electives left inorder to take advantage of this option."

Students who opt to spend their last term awayfrom Cambridge will also have to return to campusto take their general exams, Jewett said.

"On the whole, we're not changing therules--rather, we are making them more clear andsomewhat more flexible," Jewett said.

Ethnic Studies

Dean of the Faculty Jeremy R. Knowles alsoannounced yesterday his appointees to therecently-established Ad Hoc Committee on EthnicStudies.

While the "formal mission" of the committee hasyet to be defined, the new members will convenebefore the end of the year.

Thomson Professor of Government Jorge IgnacioDominguez will chair the committee. Other memberswill be: Lowell Professor of Sociology StanleyLieberson, Cabot Professor of English Literatureand Professor of Afro-American Studies WernerSollors, Winthrop Professor of History Stephan A.Thernstrom, Professor of Chinese History andPhilosophy WeiMing Tu and Loeb Associate Professorof the Social Sciences Mary C. Waters