It exudes "the feeling of a sort of car battery," in the words of its designer. But instead of battery acid, the $5.9-million extension of the Fogg Art Museum--plans for which were unveiled this week--will contain galleries and offices for the Fogg's departments of Ancient, Oriental, and Near Eastern art. The brick structure, to be built on the site now occupied by Allston Burr Hall, will also house a 300-seat lecture hall in its basement. "It's incredibly dense--sometimes while working on it, I've had the feeling it's going to sink into the ground." James Stirling, the building's architect, said this week.

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The Faculty's revolving door turned several times this week. Richard E. Pipes, Baird Professor of History and currently senior Soviet specialist on the National Security Council, informed University officials that he will not return here until the 1982-83 academic year at the earliest. Pipes, on leave since the beginning of the semester, will lose tenure if he remains absent for more than two consecutive years... Harry R. Lewis '68, associate professor of Computer Science, will become the second McKay Professor of Computer Science in July. A junior faculty member here for seven years. Lewis will become the second tenured Computer Science professor...Ellen J. Langer, associate professor of Psychology, accepted an offer at the end of the week to become the only tenured female professor in the Psychology and Social Relations Department and the Faculty's 14th tenured woman professor.

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Kennedy School officials and students this week played down an article published in the Boston Globe, which stated that University officials snuffed out their attempt to snare President Reagan for their commencement speaker. Students denied they had even extended an informal invitation, saying they only inquired about procedures. In any event, President Bok blocked any further action, telling the K-School it would be inappropriate to invite a head of state to its separate ceremony.