Nancy Sommers has been named director of the Expository Writing Program.

Her appointment, widely expected by program staffers, was confirmed in a recent meeting of the Faculty's standing committee on Expository Writing. The announcement was celebrated yesterday afternoon during a party attended by Expos staff and instructors.

Sommers said she would not comment before a Crimson interview scheduled for next week. She replaces Richard C. Marius, who resigned in December, effective June 30.

Marius said he resigned in order to spend more time writing. But sources said his decision. was also influenced by staff members' allegations that Marius verbally abused Expos teachers and mismanaged the department. Marius has denied the charges, made in a three-part series in The Crimson last October.

Many Expos teachers, some of whom have beencritical of Sommers during her tenure as the Exposassociate director, have expressed hope that thenew director will be able to improve morale in theprogram.

While some see sommers as a healer, divisionand hurt feelings may still linger. The guest listfor the party yesterday afternoon did not includeseveral former teachers who spent years in Exposbut have been critical of the program.

Sommers' appointment had been virtually assuredeven before the standing committee undertook anational search for a new director earlier thisspring.

Robinson Professor of Celtic Languages andLiteratures Patrick K. Ford, a member of thestanding committee, said in January, before thesearch began, that he would support Sommers'candidacy.

"I'm absolutely certain she will be acandidate, and I would be a strong supporter,"Ford said.

The time window for applications for the jobwas originally only five days. That was laterextended, but the perception that the job wasguaranteed to Sommers likely prevented othernational experts in composition from applying,according to sources.

As director, Sommers could be forced to addressa number of controversial issues in the program: alack of racial and ethnic diversity among theteaching staff, a program policy of hiring Ph.D.sover experienced writers and teachers, rigidrequirements on students, and a four-year limit onteacher tenure.

That four-year limit has been heavilycriticized by both students and teachers. Many saythe limit hurts the quality of teaching by forcinginstructors to leave just as they hit their stridein the classroom.

"I don't understand a system that forces peopleout after four years," James D. Wilkinson '65,director of the Bok Center for Teaching andLearning, said earlier this fall. "If goodteachers want to stay around for 30 years, weshould let them."

But despite the acclaim for her appointment,some teachers remain critical of Sommers' abilityto make personnel decisions fairly.

Two years ago, Somas passed over severalbrilliant teachers to promote Stephen Donate, whoreceived decidedly mediocre evaluations of histeaching, to a head preceptor position. In herdefense, Sommers has said Donatelli showed greatpotential and is performing well as the head ofExpos 17, "The Essay."

In addition, two former Expos employees havecharged that Sommers improperly entered her ownstudent's work in the annual contest for the bestfirst-year essay four years ago. Sommers' studentwon the contest. She has categorically denied thatcharge.

Marius was unavailable for comment yesterday