Franklin L. Ford, McLean Professor of Ancient and Modern History, is the new acting dean of the Faculty.

President Bok announced yesterday that Ford will fill the position vacated last month by John T. Dunlop until a permanent dean is selected.

Bok also announced that Harvey Brooks, dean of Engineering and Applied Physics, will temporarily assume the responsibilities of the deanship regarding Faculty legislation.

Bok said yesterday he hopes to have a permanent dean selected by late March, but explained that the process may take as long as three months.

Ford served as dean from 1962 to 1969, resigning in the wake of the 1969 University Hall occupation and bust. Bok said Ford is not a candidate for permanent dean, although he would not rule out Brooks.

He explained, however, that he asked both men to serve on an interim basis. He said they were his first choices to fill the vacuum left by Dunlop's departure.

"Both men are good soldiers I selected because of their instant capacity to do the job," Bok said.

The responsibilities of the position will be "genuinely divided" between the two men even though Brooks will retain his old title, he added.

Bok explained that Brooks had served as Dunlop's "right-hand man" regarding Faculty Council relations and the preparation of legislation for the Faculty and was therefore well suited for this aspect of the deanship.

Brooks will chair Faculty Council meetings as part of his expanded duties. He will also work with the Council's various subcommittees, including the Committee on Graduate Education.

Bok said that because of Ford's extended tenure as dean, he is the only man who understands the complex administrative responsibilities of the position.

The dean of the Faculty has charge of about 40 separate budgets. About half of these are departmental budgets, and the rest are those of related institutions, such as the Arnold Arboretum and Dumbarton Oaks.

Although Dunlop had completed most of the budgetary work for the next year and will return to Cambridge on weekends to ease the transition process, the job still requires a great deal of time and understanding, Bok said.

Permanent Selection

Bok said he is proceeding with the selection of a permanent dean. "Within the next few weeks, I plan to put my own preferences out of mind and talk to the Faculty Council, individual Faculty members and other interested person," he said.