Pusey Denies Resignation Threat; Columnist Claims Faculty Discord

Charges in Joseph Kraft's syndicated column yesterday that President Pusey threatened resignation this summer over a conflict with the Board of Overscers' Friendly Committee drew sharp rebuttals from Pusey and two committee members last night.

Writing in the Washington Post, Kraft charged that Pusey had angered liberal Faculty members by pressing the Overseers to accept his arrangement for the new University-wide Committee on Governance.

He went on to say that the liberal Faculty members, including John Kenneth Galbraith, Paul M. Warburg Professor of Economics, are preparing a vote of no-confidence to be presented at the first Faculty meeting.

Galbraith declined to comment on the reported resolution, however, and other members of the Faculty's so-called liberal caucus denied any knowledge of a planned protest vote.

Terming the reported resignation threat ridiculous, Pusey and the two Overseers, Paul H. Nitze '28 and Amory Hougrton Jr.' 50 said that there has been no conflict between the Overseers and Pusey, adding that the arrangement for the new University Committee had been specifically left to the President in the Friendly report.

Speaking of the new committee. Kraft said, "among other things, he [Pusey] has moved to appoint the convention rather than have it elected as the Friendly Committee wanted."

Pusey explained, "This committee is not a legislative body and it's not a constitutional convention, it's a vehicle for communication. This committee is not constituted of individuals who are supposed to represent various interest groups or numbers of people."

"My decision was made on the recommendation of the Council of Deans, part of whom are the deans in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Both the deans and the Overseers agreed that this was not supposed to represent weighted numbers," he added.

Noting liberal disenchantment, Kraft said, "The faculty, which is crucial to harmony, is more than ever divided and ready to revolt against the leadership of President Nathan Pusey."

"Set against that unfettered savagery, the students look like Pollyannas," he added.

Kraft, who is now in London and unavailable for comment, datelined his column "Cambridge, Mass." after spending four days here last week.