New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-22
Repetition of Nearing AT
fair Made Impossible
by Changes in Laws.
TRUSTEES CANNOT
DROP PROFESSORS
Faculty Must Be Consulted-ln-
structor Must Get Notice and
Receive Proper Hearing.
lbs Telegraph to The TribuneI

Philadelphia, Dec. 21.-Repetition OF
ire Scott Nearing affair" at the Uni
versity of Pennsylvania will be impos-
sibe as the result of an amendment 70
the university statutes passed by the
board of trustees at its last meeting on
December 6, made public to-day. The
trustees removed many Of the points
at issue raised by DR.. hearings adher-
ents following the action of the board
in dropping him as assistant professor
of economics in the Wharton School by
providing that hereafter a professor or
assistant professor shall be removed by
the trustees only after consultation
with the faculty.
The amendment further provides that
in cases of reappointmert of member
of the faculty, written notice must be
served within a specified time. Other
wise the instructor may consider lach
of such notice rs an Induction that re
is 10 be dropped.
These were the principal matters Of
controversy after DR.. Nearing was dis
missed. II was contended that he should
have had notice that the board did not
intend 70 reappoint him, and that the
faculty should first have been consulted.
-Four Grades in Faculty.
The amendment covers the entire field
of appointment, reappointment, promo
ton, tenure Of Office and removal OF
members of the university's teaching
staff II provides that there shall be
four grades in the faculty professor,
assistant professor, instructor and as
sistant instructor.
Except in cases where delay in APP
pointment might result in the loss OF
the services of a man "Of recognized
ability" the trustees must request a
recommendation from the group of in
structors of which the man concerned
will be a member before making any
appointments. All recommended promo
tons and reappointments must be sub
mitted to the group OF instructors Of
which the man concerned is a member.
The section of the amendment which
is directly due to the Nearing incident
provides that a professor or assistant
professor shall be removed by the
trustees "only after conference be-
tween a committee consisting Of one
representative from each OF the fac
ulties of the university and commit
tee Of equal number from the board
of trustees" This provision removes
the principal contention between the
Nearing adherents and the board.
Indefinite Terms for Professors.
Some of the other changes in the
statutes were as follows:
L,11 h. aHnnTVfo1
an indefinite term.
IAN assistant professor shall receive
a first appointment for a term OF three
years Subsequent reappointments
shall be for the terms of Eve wears
each. Heretofore assistant professors
have been appointed for one year
only
INSTRUCTORS and assistants shall be
appointed for q term of one yea.
"The foregoing appointments SHAH
respectively cease at the expiration oil
the several terms mentioned. unless
notice Of renewal shall have been given
i'm writing BY the provost. IN case or in
structors and assistants not later than
the first day Of April preceding the cN-
piration of the academic year for
which the appointment was made, and
in the case of an assistant professor
at least one academic year before the
expiration Of the term for which the
appointment or reappointment was
made Scott Nearing was not notified
until June1 In the event Of decision
by the trustees not to continue the ap-
pointment or reappointment Of an as
sistant professor, or to remove pro.
lessor or assistant professor, leave o.
absence may be given to such professor
or assistant professor by the trustees
for one year with full salary. A. APP
pointees are subject to the regulation
coyerinc the retiring age