Faculty Almanac

In: Bois, Out: Chave

This spring, in an unprecedented move, the Governing Board's Joint Committee on Appointments decided to review a grievance by Associate Professor of Fine Arts Anna C. Chave, who was denied tenure last year.

Chave, who teaches Literature and Arts B-16: "Modern Art and Abstraction" (better known as "Spots and Dots"), filed the grievance in the fall after President Derek C. Bok overrode departmental recommendations and awarded the Pulitzer Professor of Modern Art chair to Johns Hopkins University Professor Yves-Alain Bois.

In a four-page document, Chave charged that the University discriminated against her, ignored her teaching skills, and failed to live up to a stated commitment to promoting its junior faculty.

Chave's most serious charge, though, was that Bok submitted to pressure from Emily and Joseph Pulitzer, the donors of the chair. The Pulitzers are supporters of Bois and have strong scholarly disagreements with Chave.

Chave has alleged that the Pulitzers used their friendship with Angelica Z. Rudenstine, who is close to Bok, to persuade the outgoing Harvard president to reject her candidacy.

Helen H. Vendler, Porter University professor, and Nicolaas Bloemburg, Gade University professor emeritus, were appointed by the Joint Committee to investigate the grievance. The committee is expected to make a decision by July 1.

Regardless of the outcome, Bois will assume the Pulitzer chair in the fall.

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Out: Afro-Am, In: Women's Studies

After overseeing what has been billed as the rebirth of Afro-American Studies and helping Harvard land Duke University Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., Afro-Am Chair Barbara E. Johnson this year agreed to assume the chair of the Women's Studies Department next year.

While Women's Studies--coming from a generally positive five-year review by the Faculty--is not in Afro-Am-style dire straits, Johnson will oversee a transition period. Current Chair Olwen Hufton will be on sabbatical next year, and Senior Tutor Alexandra Owen will accept a lifetime appointment at Northwestern University.

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In: Ukraine, Out: America

It's been a good year for Harvard's History Department. Although pre-eminent 19th century American historian David H. Donald and 20th century German history scholar Franklin L. Ford retired this year, five new history scholars will come to teach at the University during the next academic year.

The five are: Mark A. Kishlansky, a 17th century British historian from the University of Chicago; David Blackbourne, a 19th century social and political German scholar from the University of London, Birkbeck College; Peter J. Gallison '77, a professor of 20th century physics history from Stanford University; and Michael McCormick, who is an early medievalist from Johns Hopkins University.

The department has also offered tenure to John Coatsworth, an historian in Mexican history and Christopher Jones, a scholar of late ancient history from the University of Toronto.

Although the arrival of new scholars will strongly bolster a troubled department, Donald's departure leaves the History Department with only one 19th century Americanist--William E. Gienapp.

Until a replacement is found for Donald and W.E.B. Dubois Professor of History Nathan I. Huggins, who died 18 months ago, the field is still desperately in need of scholars in American history.

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In: De Gennaro, Out: P through PF

In came the new Larsen Librarian of Harvard College Richard De Gennaro, and out went the P through PF section of Widener. Well, not all of the books--just the ones that hadn't been taken out in five years. And they weren't going far, just to the depository in Southborough, Mass--where all books are supposedly accessible within 24 hours.

But that was enough to cause a minor panic in the English department who feared the loss of Russian novels, Greek classics and linguistic books. Professor of English Lawrence Buell posted a memo on the English department's building reminding scholars to untag books in the P through PF section that they didn't want to leave the Yard.

The move was part of a pilot project designed by De Gennaro to allievate the overcrowding in Widener, which has an estimated 700,000 more books than it was designed to hold.

The pilot project is only the first stage in DeGennaro's plan. Future changes will further de-emphasize browsing and increase the use of Hollis and the Depository. All this, says DeGennaro, is an attempt to move the College Library from the "industrial to the technological age."

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