All Government concentrators have received a memorandum from James Q. Wilson, chairman of the department, with a warning about the dangers of having "credits" or "passes" on their records.

The department has voted to let students count non-letter grades received this spring for concentration requirements. The memo suggests that students consider the "implications" of these grades before deciding whether or not to complete the work necessary for a letter grade.

"Graduate schools considering applicants for admission and this department in considering candidates for honors must necessarily examine the student's record for positive signs of academic excellence. Marks of 'credit' or 'pass' cannot, in their nature, be viewed as such signs," the memo says.

Won't Hurt, But

Wilson said yesterday that non-letter grades would certainly not count against concentrators. "But," he said, "if two students come up for honors three years from now, and one has all A's and the other has some A's and some 'credits,' and if only one summa can be awarded, we can't be sure the second one will have as good a chance for it as the first."

"There's no way we can bind our successors in the department to looking at 'credits' with an unbiased eye," Wilson added.