Letter to California

A Letter of support from the Dartmouth faculty was sent to the Academic Senate of the University of California on October 16. Signed by 158 members of the College's teaching staff, it "observed with deep concern the recent action taken by the Regents of the University of California in dismissing members of the faculty against the recommendation of the Senate's Committee on Privilege and Tenure."

"Denial of an enlightened policy of tenure," the letter continued, "and repudiation of the principle of self-determination and responsibility of a university or college faculty are actions which we consider unfortunate and dangerous. For the sake of academic freedom in the University of California and in all American universities and colleges, we hope that the Aca demic Senate will defend vigorously its traditional principles and policies and that the Regents of the University of California may be prevailed upon to reconsider an action which can do tremendous harm to American higher education."

The Dartmouth faculty letter concerned itself with the issue of academic tenure, not with that of the loyalty oath behind the California controversy. The statement from the College added strength to similar, support expressed by faculty members of Columbia, Harvard, Princeton, Oberlin, N.Y.U.and Rutgers.