"Schmidt admitted that the process had to be done secretly," said Amenta.

The appointment of Yale faculty member and former president of New York Air Michael E. Levine as SOM dean was made "out of nowhere" without consulting the existing faculty search committee, Ali said.

Schmidt was advised in his curricular decisions from a variety of sources, particularly the Verity Report, said Amenta. That report was filed by a committee headed by Commerce Secretary William C. Verity and including former United States Attorney General Edwin C. Meese III.

"I've heard that people do find Levine a good teacher," said Amenta, "but he said he is uncomfortable doing anything in a communal setting. That is not how we work at SOM."

Students said they hoped their protests would reverse the university's decision.

But Ryan said that newly appointed SOM Dean Michael E. Levine said he would not make any changes in the curriculum decisions due to the protest.