S. Allen Counter, director of the Harvard Foundations for Race Relations since its inception, will step down from his position at year's end.

The University has not yet named a replacement.

Counter, who is also an assistant professor of neurology, cited a desire to return full time to his scientific research in audiology and neurobiology as the basic for his resignation.

"If I'm to salvage any kind of career in academe. I must return to science and research," he said yesterday.

Although the position is designed as a half time administrative role. Counter said it has evolved into a full-time responsibility.

"These last three years and few months. I've been putting in 18-hour days, so it has been difficult to spend as much time as I would like to researching." he said.

Minority students expressed regret and concern over Counter's imminent resignation. "I think he's been a very effective administrator," said Pauline W. Chen '86, co-president of the Asian American Students Association. "He's done a lot to make the Foundation mean more than just an outline on paper. He's shown a lot of genuine concern for students on campus."

"He's been one of the most helpful people on campus as far as minority student concerns go "Rohana L. Fins '86, co-president of American Indians at Harvard "I don't know of anyone else at Harvard who would listen with the same concern."

The Harvard Foundation was founded more than three years ago in response in minority student deman`