Members of the committee said they were open to a variety of approaches to the minority faculty dilemma, but agreed with administrators that quotas are not a practicable solution. Pforszimer University Professor Sidney Verba, the chairman of the committee, said his group would consult with faculty, department chairmen and student groups before making any policy prescriptions.

Verba said he interprets the committee's mandate broadly. "We're looking at Harvard's procedures for affirmative action and we're considering a variety of ways in which Harvard might be more active."

Dennis R. Thompson, the head of the University-wide program on ethics and a member of the committee, stressed that the faculty has a responsibility to increase the representation of minorities because it is "a question of justice." But he added that the faculty must also ensure existing standards of teaching excellence are preserved in the process.

Others seemed to agree with the MSA report's conclusion that the University's minority recruitment policy is too decentralized.

Thomas Professor of Government Martin L. Kilson reserved judgment on the faculty committee, but said that FAS's composition will not change until President Bok takes the initiative on the issue. "There isn't enough central leadership given to these issues," Kilson said. "What you have at places like Duke and Stanford is quite the opposite--the center holds in these matters."

Despite the efforts of individual administrators and department chairmen, significant numbers of minorities will not be hired at Harvard until Bok and Spence combine forces and take the initiative, Kilson said. "We don't have a president who is putting a big-push imprimatur behind these matters," he said.

But Spence said that presidential initiative alone would not solve Harvard's minority faculty problem.

"Involvement of the faculty in trying to achieve realistic goals is an equally important part of making progress--we need both." Spence said.

"I think the President has a longstanding commitment to this," he added.