Council Votes New Seats To Freshmen, Sophomores

Sophomore and freshman representation will temporarily increase from two to three members next year, the Student Council decided last night.

Then by a narrow one vote margin, the group defeated a motion leading to the criticism of Provost Buck and the University for subscription to the American Association of Universitys' stand on academic freedom.

Council President Paul D. Sheats '54 called the vote to refrain from taking a stand on the AAU's statement, one of the most important decisions of the year. He said both sides of the issue will be presented to the student body to permit the college to make its own decision.

Extra Freshmen Elected Thursday

In a special vote following approval of the Council's membership increase, the group agreed that the three sophomore representatives for the Class of '56 would be elected next Thursday.

According to the Council's decision, the increased membership will be in effect for one year. Next spring the 1953-54 body will decide whether the increase has proved worthwhile, and will vote at that time on making the addition permanent.

Freshman representative will still be selected by the Union Committee. They will have no voting power for the first semester of their college career.

Following its approval of the temporary council addition, the group voted to back reports on Dudley Hall and the Foreign Student situation at the College, then turned to the Academic Freedom issue. The Dudley report advocated a now student center.

Before the house was a motion by council member Anthony C. Beilenson '54 to censure Buck and the University for signing the AAU statement of "Rights and Responsibilities of Universities and Faculties." But the council narrowly decided not to take a stand.

Beilenson's statement submitted for Council approval read in part: "We feel that statement isued by the AAU and subscribed to by Paul H. Buck as Harvard member of the Association represents a retreat from the defense of academic freedom. . . The statement. . . constitutes an invitation to Congressional committees to continue investigations of the universities."

It concluded that "the Student Council is therefore strongly critical of Provost Buck's signing of the AAP statement as significant of a capitulation of this University to external pressures..."

Sheats congratulated the Council on its decision not to dictate a stand to the college. "The Student Council feels that it should not decide for the student body on such a controversial issue, but present the alternatives," he said.

The Dudley report by Gerald Alch '54 and and Christ Nicholson '54 supplemented a Council study earlier this year advocating a new building to answer the commuter problem. "Facilities are far from adequate for the almost 400 students who use the building," the report stated.

The vote to accept additional members to the Council followed six weeks of discussion and pushing by freshmen members of the group. Previously, it had defeated a motion by Edward Strasser '56 to add the new members permanently.