Womack, Maier Will Assume Top History Department Posts

John Womack '59, professor of History, has been recommended by senior Faculty members to become the new History Department chairman and will assume the post on July 1. pending approval from Dean Rosovsky.

After graduating from Harvard. Womack went on to receive his Ph. D. in education here in 1963 and was hired as an instructor two years later. His area of expertise is modern Latin American history.

Womack, who is on leave for the term, yesterday declined to comment before the appointment becomes official.

"At this point Womack's appointment is just a formality" Wallace T. MacCaffrey, Higginson Professor of History and the current department chairman, said yesterday. According to MacCaffrey. Womack received a consensus among senior Faculty members who wrote letters to Dean Rosovsky stating their preference for the department chairman, in a routine procedure that takes place every few years.

"Womack has been here the required number of years, he is notable in a particular field. He's the next logical choice for the chairmanship," MacCaffrey said.

The department has also appointed Charles Maier '60, professor of History, to the position of head tutor Maier said yesterday he foresees making no major changes.

"The curriculum for the tutorial is clearly stipulated and I don't envisage any change in the program, "he said, adding. "The History Department has a strong commitment to the tutorial and that's they always have a senior Faculty member running the program." Maier said.

Maier, an expert in modern European history, was an assistant professor at Harvard between 1968 and 1975. After a five-year absence he returned to Harvard to receive tenure in December 1980.

Current Head Tutor Steven Ozment, professor of History, expressed approval of the new duo. Both went through the history tutorial program as undergraduates and have had years of experience, he said.

MacCaffrey said he sees no need for changes in the department's treatment of two of its chronic problems--faculty members in the same specialty taking leaves of absence at the same time, stripping a sub-area of the department of many of its course offerings, and the shortage of tenured women professors.

The department now looks three or four years ahead in sheduling leaves, to try to avoid problems, and in hiring, always looks for the most highly qualified person. MacCaffrey said.

Bemard Bailyn, Winthrop professor of History, was also enthusiastic about Womack's selection. "He was a good head tutor he knows the department inside our and I think be will make a conscientious charman." Baliyn said yesterday