Among the members of the committee is Cambridge City Councillor Francis H. Duchay '55. Duchay said he joined the committee as "an expression of my opinion."

"I would hope that this leads to a change. If not, at least the opinions of the alumni will be known," he said.

Philip J. Parsons, director of planning for the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) said that objections to the plan stem from confusion over the specific details of the project. Parsons said he thinks that critics are confused by an article published in the Boston Globe which gave an incomplete account of the plans.

According to Parsons, once critics see what is actually going to be done to the Union, they will be "happy about the plans."

Parsons said the committees formation may actually help to improve understanding of the project.

"There will always be some people who would like the place to stay exactly how it was, other will see it as a very carefully thought out process," he added.

In spite of the group's formation, it is unclear whether there still remains enough time to halt the planned construction.

At last month's Faculty meeting, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Jeremy R. Knowles indicated in response to a query that he did not expect the project to be stopped