DuBois Institute Has First Meeting

The committee charged with drawing up plans for the DuBois Afro-American Research Institute held its initial meeting Tuesday night and the session was conducted without any of the bitterness and animosity which have marked other proceedings in this area over the past three years.

Orlando Patterson, professor of Sociology and a member of the University-wide committee, said yesterday, "Everyone had a positive attitude. I think the past is behind us."

Ewart Guinier '33, chairman of the Afro-American Studies Department and a member of the committee had previously been an outspoken opponent of Administration efforts to set up the DuBois Institute on a University-wide basis. Guinier contended that the Institute should be developed under the auspices of the Afro Department.

Guinier attended last night's committee session held at the Faculty Club. He had no comment on the meeting yesterday, but Patterson said Guinier was "very cooperative."

Walter J. Leonard, special assistant to President Bok and chairman of the committee, was out of town yesterday and unavailable for comment.

Patterson said that the eight-member committee had discussed "the general objectives of the Institute." He added that the committee would begin looking into the operations of other Afro-American research centers around the country for guidance in developing the DuBois Institute.

"One of the basic problems we have to contend with is deciding what aspects of the Institute's program we should highlight when we make proposals for funding," Patterson said.

Patterson said that he wanted the DuBois Institute to emphasize original research on Afro-American affairs, while others felt that the Institute should be a "host organization" for other Afro-American scholars.