Some experts fear that increased support ofjoint industry-university centers of jointindustry-university centers will move governmentfunding away from research in the basic sciences.The competitiveness initiative may narrowuniversity research into areas narrowly focused onthe demands of industry and restrict academicfreedom, said Robert L. Park, director of theWashington, D.C.-based American Physical Society.

"Reagan has threatened freedom in research fora number of years. There have always beenincreasing stipulations on funding as thegovernment has increasingly attempted to directacademic research," Park said this week.

"There hasn't been a time when the direction ofresearch hasn't been influenced by the publicconcern," said Paul C. Martin '52, dean of thedivision of applied sciences.

But Harvard administrators remain confidentthat the University will not be affected bypressures from the government and the privatesector to steer Harvard research into restrictedareas.

"We're going to do research, research at theUniversity will continue to be open, and it willnot be decided by industry but by Universityinvestigators," Martin said.

"Harvard has not done or will do very muchresearch on industry that will be useful in thetwo to five year time scale," Martin said, "ButHarvard has been doing basic research that will behelpful to industry in the long run.