After heated debate last week the Faculty Council of Representatives at Cornell University recommended to University administrators that affirmative action considerations be included in evaluation of faculty for tenure and promotion.

The council also approved revisions of Cornell's Student-Academic Staff Grievance Procedure to cover cases of sexual harassment.

In the unprecedented decision, the council voted 35-22 to add a statement to the Academic Appointment Manual extending affirmative action considerations to tenure and promotion review. "In accordance with the University's commitment to racial ethnic and gender diversity in the education experience, it is appropriate and desirable that affirmative action considerations also be taken into account in the evaluation of faculty for tenure and promotion," the amendment states.

Currently, only 5-7 percent of Cornell's faculty are minorities.