This tendency has been most apparent at the graduate schools, where the practice began about five years ago, says Thomas L. O'Donnell, chair of the Law School and School of Public Health committees.

"The subcommittees [make] a brief report in writing, which is presented for discussion at the next meeting of the visiting committee," he says. "We just began the process of subcommittee visitation in the law school this spring."

Dean of the School of Public Health Harvey V. Fineberg '67, who helped O'Donnell develop the subcommittee process, says he finds it extremely helpful.

"A structure originally designed for working for a department like economics was thrust into a setting where there are hundreds of faculty members, complex departments," says Fineberg. "It's very clear that a single committee would have a difficult time encompassing the whole scope of the enterprise."

Several subcommittees have also been created at the Kennedy School, where Fineberg was also once on the visiting committee.

"We have one in the area of finance and development, with people giving us advice on our own financial systems," says Kennedy School Dean Albert Carnesale. "[We have] one on curriculum and instruction, and one on research."

The subcommittees at the Kennedy School were established as standing committees, says Carnesale. "We're moving more and more away from the annual meeting where we tell you what we're doing, which tends to be, from my view, too much show and tell," he says.

'It's very clear that a single committee would have a difficult time encompassing the whole scope of the enterprise.'

HARVEY V. FINEBERG '67, WHO HELPED DEVELOP THE SUBCOMMITTEES