The Faculty yesterday set up a special committee-to be chaired by H. Stuart Hughes, Gurney Professor of History and Political Science-charged with providing an opportunity for students and Faculty to participate actively in the 1970 political campaigns "with minimal interference with the University's educational programs."
The committee is expected to have an interim report on alternative possibilities by next Tuesday's Faculty meeting.
"There are two obvious alternatives," Bruce Chalmers, Master of Winthrop House, said at the meeting. "One is the closing down of the University for two weeks; the other, not scheduling any required exercises for two weeks before or one week after the elections."
Chalmers said he favored the second alternative.
But Artaur Maass, Thomas Professor of Government, said there were many other alternatives, and that "the University must be protected from partisan political activities."
"Any official action to support students in these activities will be viewed as partisan politics, opposing the Republican administration." Maass said, "Let us not in meeting student demands of May 1969 weaken the capacity of Harvard to teach future generations of students in a free society."
Hughes, declining to comment specifically on what alternatives he thought were open to his committee stressed that any decisions would be made "without violating the basic principle that the University as such not become involved in partisan political activity."
Other Business
In other business yesterday, the Faculty moved that a joint Harvard-Radcliffe Administrative Board be established.
At present, the Harvard Ad Board and the Radcliffe Judicial Board are separate bodies. But because of coresidential living. Dean May said in moving the proposal, the Faculty "recognizes that all administrative responsibilities for all undergraduates of both colleges should rest with their House of residence."
"Uniformity of treatment requires the establishment of one jurisdictional body," the resolution reads.
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