"Harvard University has been extra-ordinarily fortunate to have Franklin Ford as dean during the past seven and a half incredibly demanding years." Pusey said.

"His keen wit his compassionate nature, his sense of honor and justice, and his administrative wisdom in reaching difficult decisions have all notably contributed to an outstanding period in Harvard's progress." he added.

Ford was appointed dean in June, 1962-18 months after the previous dean. McGeorge Bundy, had resigned to take a job in President Kennedy's administration.

During the gap. Pusey served as both President and acting dean. After yesterday's meeting. Pusey ruled out the possibility that he would take over the dean-ship for the last two years of his term. Pusey will reach the normal retirement age of 66 in 1972.

Forl joined the Harvard Faculty in 1953, after getting an AB from the University of Minnesota in 1942 and MA from Harvard in 1948. In 1950 Ford earned his Ph. D. here while teaching at Bennington Coliege.

Ford studied in France on a Fulbright Fellowship before joining the Faculty: in 1955 he went to Germany for a year as a Guggenheim Fellow. From 1956 to 1961 he was Allston Burr Senior Tutor in Lowell House.

Ford's writings include Strasbourg in Transition. 1643-1789-which won the coveted Faculty prize of the Harvard University Press-and The Robe and the Sword. He has contributed chapters to several collections of historical essays, and recently finished a volume for the Longmaas "General History of Europe" series.

Ford, who will be 19 on December 26, was hospitalized for several weeks last April with a mild stroke. Edward Mason, professor of Economies, served briefly as acting dean then. Ford said when he returned this Fall, that he had completely recovered.