Council Discusses Foreign TF Rules

Members of the Faculty Council were divided yesterday over a proposal by Dean for Undergraduate Education Lawrence Buell that teaching fellows be screened for English language competency before they enter the classroom.

Buell's proposal says that TFs who need assistance in spoken and written English would be identified in advance by University officials.

Harvard would then provide training to help these TFs improve their communication skills before they begin teaching, according to the proposal.

While Faculty Council members supported the spirit of the proposal on the whole, some questioned Buell's mechanism for screening TFs. Members said they discussed where the responsibility for identifying potentially problematic TFs should ultimately lie.

"The main issue that we talked about was with whom the main responsibility should rest--the faculty member leading a course or an administrator," said Cabot Professor of the Natural Sciences John E. Dowling.

There are some long-held beliefs about faculty rights at stake in this debate, said Secretary to the Faculty Council John B. Fox Jr. '59.

If the administration starts to advise faculty members how to structure their "educational environments," they may edge up against the rights afforded to the faculty, Fox said.

Some council members said they feel that professors should screen TFs themselves because it is faculty members who are ultimately accountable for what goes on in their courses.

"My ideal would be to devise a new procedure that encourages professorial responsibility," said Professor of Sociology Theda Skocpol.

At yesterday's meeting there were too many ideas on the table to decide on just one, council members said.

"We haven't come to any conclusions yet but we had a spirited discussion of how to deal with this issue," Dowling said.

That "spirited discussion" included some anecdotes related by professors about TFs with limited English skills who teach well and native English speakers who teach poorly.

"Language skills cannot be used to judgesomeone's teaching capability," Dowling said.

"A foreign-born TF can be an absolutelymarvelous teacher because of his or her knowledge,caring and devotion to the students," he added."While someone who speaks the King's Englishbeautifully can be a disaster in the classroom,and I think we all recognize that."

But Baird Professor of Science Gary J. Feldmansaid the council is still in favor of some sort ofscreening process.

"We do think TFs ought to be examined to see ifthey know English well enough to communicate withtheir students," Feldman said.

"Buell is right to expect that TFs will becompetent to teach in the language ofinstruction," he added. He called Buell's proposal"entirely sensible."

Council members said no one questioned whetherTFs should be screened to make sure they can teacheffectively. But some members called forflexibility in applying any universal standardthey might approve.

"The question really is whether ourinstructional staff is capable of doing the job,"Feldman said. "But that has a lot of differentmeanings in different fields and in the contextsof different courses."

"We have to consider whether a student who hasa lesser grasp of English can compensate by theother things they bring to a section, like insightinto a particular language or region," Feldmansaid.

His words were echoed by Skocpol. "What makes agood TF varies a lot by field and course content,"she said. "We don't want to screen out peoplewhose particular talents are appropriate to theirfield."

Skocpol said that while the council agreedthat it was necessary to screen out ineffectiveTFs, she is concerned that a severe standardizedlanguage test would frighten some graduatestudents.

"I don't think we want to create a test thatinspires anxiety or that students feel they haveto spend a lot of time preparing for," Skocpolsaid.

"But that doesn't mean we'll allow a situationwhere someone can't do the job,' she added.

Buell could not be reached for comment lastnight.

Women in Science

A preliminary report was submitted to thecouncil yesterday by Professor of ChemistryCynthia M. Friend chairs a Faculty standingcommittee on the subject.

The report is a follow-up to a 1991 reportprepared by then-committee chair Barbara Grosz,the Faculty's acting associate dean foraffirmative action.

The Friend report identified five particularareas of concern for female graduate students inthe natural sciences: peer harassment, deferentialtreatment, personal security, family issues andlack of information on existing programs forwomen.

Female students in departments or classes wherethe number of women is small face the greatestdifficulties, the report said.

The committee also reported that the currentjob shortage in the natural sciences hasexacerbated the problem of competition between thesexes.

According to the report, women in the sciencessay men mistreat them in part because the menbelieve the women received preferential treatmentin admissions into the program because of theirsex.

The 14-member committee will release its finalversion of the report in about a week.

Affirmative Action

A preview of the administration's annualaffirmative action report was also presented tothe council.

The report indicated that the pool of qualifiedminority applicants for faculty positions incolleges and universities has shrunk over the pastyear.

But the report said this national trend has notparticularly affected Harvard, whose statisticshave remained stable despite the small pool.

"People on the council were pleased that we'verecently hired some outstanding people who happento be African-American," Skocpol said.

But this didn't keep Council members fromdiscussing ways to augment the dwindling candidatepool.

"We mostly talked about encouraging talentedBlack undergraduates to go on to graduate school,"Skocpol said.

Despite the lull in minority appointments toboth tenured and non-tenured faculty positions,appointments of women are keeping pace with arapid increase nationwide.

But there are no quotas, Fox said. Harvard isalways simply trying to find the best faculty itcan.

He said that the belief underlying affirmativeaction is that a vigorous and energeticapplication of its principle will produceappropriate numbers of minority appointments andultimately result in a diverse and academicallystellar faculty.

According to Council members, that belief hasbeen supported by the actions of Universityofficials.

"We're being vigilant in casting the net aswide as possible when we're looking to make anappointment," Dowling said. "And we've made goodprogress."

But the progress has been better in some areasthan in others, Dowling acknowledged. "There aresome areas where we still need to try harder," hesaid.

Optimism prevailed, however, among most councilmembers, "I think that there was an overallfeeling of improvement," Feldman said. "Thingsseem to be going reasonably well."

Security Program

In other business, the council officiallyrecognized a committee it formed last month toinvestigate the implication of Harvard's possibleparticipation in the National Security EducationProgram.

Council members has voiced concerns that theprogram might pose safety risks for studentsinvolved.

Students would study abroad in "sensitiveareas" of the world and receive some governmentsecurity training as part of a scholarship orfellowship program.

Professors say the program is linked to theCentral Intelligence Agency.

Council members are awaiting the recommendationof the committee before making a formal decisionregarding the fate of the program on campus.

But students are free to apply to the programon an individual basis pending the council'sdecision, Fox said.

The committee is composed of three councilmembers: Professor of Chinese History Peter K.Bol, Feldman and Hessel Professor of Biology NaomiE. Pierce.

The council also discussed its upcomingelections. In April, six seats within the18-member body bill be open, a fact which promptedthe council to examine its complicated,hair-proportional election process.

Fox said the consensus of the council was tokeep the process in place for this year.

But because of the complications involved inthe process, Fox said this may be the last yearthe hair-proportional system is used

"Language skills cannot be used to judgesomeone's teaching capability," Dowling said.

"A foreign-born TF can be an absolutelymarvelous teacher because of his or her knowledge,caring and devotion to the students," he added."While someone who speaks the King's Englishbeautifully can be a disaster in the classroom,and I think we all recognize that."

But Baird Professor of Science Gary J. Feldmansaid the council is still in favor of some sort ofscreening process.

"We do think TFs ought to be examined to see ifthey know English well enough to communicate withtheir students," Feldman said.

"Buell is right to expect that TFs will becompetent to teach in the language ofinstruction," he added. He called Buell's proposal"entirely sensible."

Council members said no one questioned whetherTFs should be screened to make sure they can teacheffectively. But some members called forflexibility in applying any universal standardthey might approve.

"The question really is whether ourinstructional staff is capable of doing the job,"Feldman said. "But that has a lot of differentmeanings in different fields and in the contextsof different courses."

"We have to consider whether a student who hasa lesser grasp of English can compensate by theother things they bring to a section, like insightinto a particular language or region," Feldmansaid.

His words were echoed by Skocpol. "What makes agood TF varies a lot by field and course content,"she said. "We don't want to screen out peoplewhose particular talents are appropriate to theirfield."

Skocpol said that while the council agreedthat it was necessary to screen out ineffectiveTFs, she is concerned that a severe standardizedlanguage test would frighten some graduatestudents.

"I don't think we want to create a test thatinspires anxiety or that students feel they haveto spend a lot of time preparing for," Skocpolsaid.

"But that doesn't mean we'll allow a situationwhere someone can't do the job,' she added.

Buell could not be reached for comment lastnight.

Women in Science

A preliminary report was submitted to thecouncil yesterday by Professor of ChemistryCynthia M. Friend chairs a Faculty standingcommittee on the subject.

The report is a follow-up to a 1991 reportprepared by then-committee chair Barbara Grosz,the Faculty's acting associate dean foraffirmative action.

The Friend report identified five particularareas of concern for female graduate students inthe natural sciences: peer harassment, deferentialtreatment, personal security, family issues andlack of information on existing programs forwomen.

Female students in departments or classes wherethe number of women is small face the greatestdifficulties, the report said.

The committee also reported that the currentjob shortage in the natural sciences hasexacerbated the problem of competition between thesexes.

According to the report, women in the sciencessay men mistreat them in part because the menbelieve the women received preferential treatmentin admissions into the program because of theirsex.

The 14-member committee will release its finalversion of the report in about a week.

Affirmative Action

A preview of the administration's annualaffirmative action report was also presented tothe council.

The report indicated that the pool of qualifiedminority applicants for faculty positions incolleges and universities has shrunk over the pastyear.

But the report said this national trend has notparticularly affected Harvard, whose statisticshave remained stable despite the small pool.

"People on the council were pleased that we'verecently hired some outstanding people who happento be African-American," Skocpol said.

But this didn't keep Council members fromdiscussing ways to augment the dwindling candidatepool.

"We mostly talked about encouraging talentedBlack undergraduates to go on to graduate school,"Skocpol said.

Despite the lull in minority appointments toboth tenured and non-tenured faculty positions,appointments of women are keeping pace with arapid increase nationwide.

But there are no quotas, Fox said. Harvard isalways simply trying to find the best faculty itcan.

He said that the belief underlying affirmativeaction is that a vigorous and energeticapplication of its principle will produceappropriate numbers of minority appointments andultimately result in a diverse and academicallystellar faculty.

According to Council members, that belief hasbeen supported by the actions of Universityofficials.

"We're being vigilant in casting the net aswide as possible when we're looking to make anappointment," Dowling said. "And we've made goodprogress."

But the progress has been better in some areasthan in others, Dowling acknowledged. "There aresome areas where we still need to try harder," hesaid.

Optimism prevailed, however, among most councilmembers, "I think that there was an overallfeeling of improvement," Feldman said. "Thingsseem to be going reasonably well."

Security Program

In other business, the council officiallyrecognized a committee it formed last month toinvestigate the implication of Harvard's possibleparticipation in the National Security EducationProgram.

Council members has voiced concerns that theprogram might pose safety risks for studentsinvolved.

Students would study abroad in "sensitiveareas" of the world and receive some governmentsecurity training as part of a scholarship orfellowship program.

Professors say the program is linked to theCentral Intelligence Agency.

Council members are awaiting the recommendationof the committee before making a formal decisionregarding the fate of the program on campus.

But students are free to apply to the programon an individual basis pending the council'sdecision, Fox said.

The committee is composed of three councilmembers: Professor of Chinese History Peter K.Bol, Feldman and Hessel Professor of Biology NaomiE. Pierce.

The council also discussed its upcomingelections. In April, six seats within the18-member body bill be open, a fact which promptedthe council to examine its complicated,hair-proportional election process.

Fox said the consensus of the council was tokeep the process in place for this year.

But because of the complications involved inthe process, Fox said this may be the last yearthe hair-proportional system is used