Harvard Professors Are Unsure Of Effect of Texas's 32 Chairs

The University of Texas will establish 32 endowed chairs in various science fields over the next four or five years, in a move which some Harvard scientists fear could drain Harvard's science departments of many promising faculty members.

According to University of Texas Vice President for development and relations Shirley Bird Perry, the university has already begun recruiting for these positions, which were made possible by a $32 million gift. The university may fill some of the open spaces by the end of the year.

Although no Harvard scientists have been mentioned as targets, Richard G. Leahy, associate dean of the Faculty, said yesterday that Texas has "made a decided effort to put together a first class faculty in the sciences that has to be taken seriously." He added that Texas is likely to recruit professors from Harvard, as well as Princeton and Stanford, because those universities are "the three big research institutes in the country."

"Some people can be bought," Isaac F. Silvers, professor of physics, said yesterday. He added, though, that "established professors are generally not easily moved because they are comfortable in their own environment."

Associate Dean of Arts and Sciences Paul Martin said Texas is "more likely to succeed in their recruiting efforts in areas that are new, like computer science."

He added that Texas has frequently recruited at Harvard in the past.

Leahy cited Steven Weinberg, formerly a Loeb Visiting Professor of Physics, and Joseph G. Polchinski, currently a research associate, as faculty members the university has successfully attracted to its Austin campus.

But Leahy said Texas will have to recruit from other established universities as well if it hopes to succeed in the ongoing attempt to beef up its faculty.

Sheldon L. Glashow, Higgins Professor of Physics, who has been recently wooed by another Texas university, Texas A & M, said that the University of Texas has not approached him or anyone else in the physics department to his knowledge, and said he is "not likely to jump" if approached.

The New York Times reported yesterday that the University of Texas received $8 million of the $32 million gift from an anonymous Texan, whose donation was then matched by five Texas foundations. The remaining $16 million will come from the Regents Endowed Teachers and Scholars Program, which is financed by state funds derived from oil revenues.

Penn said Texas will not recruit only at universities, Recently, she said. Texas appointed a computer science professor from the Burroughs Corporation. She said Texas has been consciously expanding its faculty by financing appointments from other funds, adding that the university "would not have gotten the gift if the university was not already strong in these areas."

Perry said that Texas would "custom negotiate with each professor recruited" to determine the balance of money to be spent on salary, research, aides, travel and other expenses.