"That critical mass isn't going to develop somehow spontaneously," Jung said. "The critical mass isn't going to develop on its own in the absence of appropriated resources."
Rudenstine questioned whether such an arrangement would make intellectual and structural sense. He pointed to Harvard's current system, in which studies of particular ethnic groups are undertaken in other departments, as a model.
One example he cited was that of Jewish studies. He said that discipline flourishes in the Department of Near Eastern Language and Civilizations because of professors who hold joint appointments at the Divinity School and in other departments in FAS.
Fall Business
Rudenstine is settling into a busy fall of fundraising, tenure appointments and lobbying for federal dollars in Washington, D.C., he said Friday.
The president said he "did a fairly intensive bit [of lobbying]" in Washington 10 days ago to make the case for sustained funding of student aid and basic scientific research, which have come under the Congressional budget axe.
Rudenstine said that he met with several members of Congress, including Sen. James Jeffords (R-Vt.), Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), all of who are members of committees relating to academic funding.
"This year's budget looks, thanks to the effort of a lot of people, like a reasonable chance that we're going to come through in decent shape," he said.
But Rudenstine once again emphasized that the Congressional budget balancing process will continue into the next century.
Rudenstine said much of the rest of his time over the past month has been consumed by his six tenure decisions and continuing efforts in the University's $2.1 billion capital campaign.
He also defended the affirmative action policies of the University. The Department of Government's graduate school admissions process came under fire last week when The Weekly Standard, a conservative journal, said the department's admissions process gives illegal advantages to black applicants.
"The policies are sound," Rudenstine said of the Government Department. "The practices, so far as I know, are sound. The story, so far as I can see, got some of the facts wrong. And [graduate school Administrative Dean Margot N. Gill] responded based on a pretty in-depth look at it. I think we carry on."
"The general policy is one that I feel strongly about," Rudenstine said of the University's commitment to affirmative action. "We should really continue to do what we're doing because we think it is educationally valuable, and that's always been at the heart of the whole quest for diversity."