Faculty Council Discusses Allston

For the third consecutive meeting yesterday, the Faculty Council discussed its concerns with the proposals for the development of University land in Allston, centering again on the question of how to adequately involve the Faculty in the decision-making process.

The council resumed consideration of a proposal—advanced last meeting by Baird Professor of Science Gary J. Feldman—to convene a separate Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) committee to consider Allston possibilities.

FAS professors have complained that University plans are advancing rapidly without their input. Many say they are especially concerned that one part of the current plan—a new science campus in Allston—would unwisely split FAS sciences between the two banks of the Charles River.

Feldman said that council reaction to his proposal was mixed yesterday, largely due to concern that the purpose of such a committee would overlap too heavily with the role of the council, the Faculty Resource Committee and the four University-wide Allston task forces convened by University President Lawrence H. Summers.

Feldman said that as a result, he will not bring his proposal before the full Faculty, although he did not rule out reconsidering the proposal in the future.

“There was concern whether another committee would be working too much at cross-purposes,” he said. “The fact that the response was mixed means at least at the moment that it’s not worth putting forth to the Faculty as a whole.”