Provost, Pres. OK dept. cuts

Rel. Studies decision delayed Interim Provost Marvin Lazerson and Interim President Claire Fagin endorsed School of Arts and Sciences Dean Rosemary Stevens' proposal to cut the American Civilization and Regional Science departments over winter break. But, Lazerson and Fagin said they will postpone making a decision on the fate of the Religious Studies Department until the Committee on Academic Freedom and Responsibility has the opportunity to review the department's case in more depth. Lazerson and Fagin's recommendation, which includes the merger of the Astronomy and Physics Departments, must now be approved by the University Board of Trustees at its meeting this month. The Academic Freedom committee, which advised Lazerson about Stevens' dealing with the Am Civ and Regional Science Departments cuts, was summoned in October by the chairpersons of the affected departments to review the dean's actions. In December, the committee and its chair, Chemistry Professor Madeleine Joullie, concluded that the dean had handled her recommendations properly with regards to the American Civilization and Regional Science Departments. But, the committee decided to postpone making a final report on Stevens' handling of the recommendation to cut Religious Studies, citing the complexity of the department's case against Stevens. Over the past few months Religious Studies has had more support than the other two departments in jeopardy. And the University would be the only Ivy League institution without a religious studies department, if all Stevens' recommendations were approved by Fagin, Lazerson and the University Trustees. In its conclusion concerning the Am Civ and Regional Science departments, the committee found that Stevens did not violate University procedures. It concluded she followed a memorandum about department closures, circulated by former Provost Michael Aiken in 1991. "The question is whether the memorandum provides an adequate process," said Am Civ Associate Professor Melvyn Hammarberg. The committee has yet to make a final report concerning the Religious Studies Department. Stevens has repeatedly said that she plans to replace the eliminated departments with interdepartmental programs, similar to those for Biological Basis of Behavior and International Relations. But, the three departments foresee a lack of interest by the departments which take them in. Regional Science Chairperson Stephen Gale said the abolition of his department will mean an end to the regional science concentration at the University. "It's sad, particularly because instead of saying outright what [the administration] had in mind, they disguised what they said in Penn-Speak," he said. Lazerson has set up a task force, though, to study the placement of a regional science curriculum at the university. Stephen Dunning, graduate chair of Religious Studies, said the administration's plan is not as simple as it looks. "The departments are not just administrative structures, they are intellectual concepts," he said. "Abolition of these departments is a statement by the Dean that these departments are not as important as those retaining departmental structures." The administration does not foresee the problems envisioned by the departments. "There are numerous ways of consolidating and streamlining," Fagin said. "Some feel they need a department to lend weight to their subject, but if you look at sections within departments, you see they have extraordinary strength." Fagin admitted that it was harder for her to see dividing religious studies into other departments, because no existing departments have a natural fit. She added, however, that she can see a strengthening in the Am Civ and Regional Science concentrations through a program, rather than a departmental, structure.

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