A social psychologist specializing in American race relations, Pettigrew explains that he left Harvard largely because tensions between specialists in social psychology and psychology had built steadily since the Social Relations and Psychology Departments merged in 1971.

"There were gradual decreases in faculty positions and other areas of support in social psychology," he recollects, adding that "no one who knows anything about the field way very surprised at my move."

In fact, several of Pettigrew's close colleagues and former students from Harvard's are now at Santa Cruz. "Harvard was very good to me," he says, "but life here is much easier--there are no attacks upon us. I got tired of academic fights."

Pettigrew first saw the advantages he would have at the University of California when he taught two courses there in 1979-80 during a leave of absence from Harvard. Those advantages include better computer facilities, more graduate students, and California's "prosperous and stimulating" atmosphere, he says.

Although Santa Cruz emphasizes teaching more than Harvard, Pettigrew adds that "I'm getting more of my own work done here than I ever did at Harvard, where research is so stressed."

As a native Southerner, Pettigrew admits he always disliked the climate and atmosphere in the Northeast. "There's really nothing I miss about life at Harvard," he says, adding, "I'm a little surprised I haven't been more nostalgic."   --Sarah L. Bingham