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SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XXIII. No. 588. 



time and energy of the whole university. 



But the organization of the university 

 should make provision for less ideal condi- 

 tions, so that taking trustees, president and 

 faculty as they are likely to be, the system 

 of government may tend to utilize to the 

 fullest possible extent the wisdom and en- 

 ergy of all, and prevent the possibility that 

 the influence of any one of these factors 

 may be overridden or ignored. 



The plan of government now established 

 in Stanford University endeavors to con- 

 serve these ends in the following way. 



The authority is vested in: 



First. The trustees, who, in addition to 

 the management of financial and legal af- 

 fairs, make all appointments to the faculty 

 and fix their compensation, but have dele- 

 gated to the president all nominations for 

 appointments or promotions and recom- 

 mendations as to salaries. 



Second. The president, in whom by the 

 deed of trust is lodged the authority to 

 prescribe the duties of instructors, to re- 

 move instructors at will, and such other 

 powers as are necessary that he may be 

 held justly responsible for the efficiency of 

 teaching and the competency of teachers. 

 In addition to these duties, by the acts of 

 the trustees, the president is made pri- 

 marily responsible for discipline in the 

 university, is ex-officio chairman of the 

 academic council and of its executive com- 

 mittee, and the official mediiun of com- 

 munication between the faculty and the 

 trvistees, and between the students and the 

 trustees. The president has also the ini- 

 tiative in all matters of appointments and 

 fixing of salaries, subject to the approval 

 of the trustees. By these provisions is 

 sought to be maintained the effectiveness 

 in administration due to the initiative of 

 the president. 



Third. The facitlty— in Avhich is vested 

 through the Academic Council, consisting of 

 all professors, associate professors and such 



assistant professors as have been in the 

 service of the university for three years, 

 the power to initiate and decide upon all 

 matters of academic character— such as re- 

 quirements for admission or graduation, 

 advanced degrees, curricula, general uni- 

 versity regulations, policies of all standing 

 committees of the faculty and of depart- 

 mental faculties— subject, of course, to 

 such control by the trustees as is necessary 

 for the proper exercise of their responsi- 

 bilities. 



The influence of the faculty upon such 

 administrative matters as belong to the re- 

 sponsibilities of the president or the trus- 

 tees is exerted through the Advisory Board, 

 a body of nine professors elected by ballot 

 without previous nomination, three each 

 year, by the academic council. Of these 

 nine members, one is elected by the whole 

 council from each of five departmental 

 groups into which the departments of the 

 university are divided, and the remaining 

 four are elected without reference to their 

 positions in any such group. Each mem- 

 ber must receive a majority of all votes cast 

 for election. The members of this board 

 are elected presumably on the basis of 

 their qualifications as safe and wise coun- 

 sellors of the president or the trustees. The 

 duties of the board are to act as confidential 

 adviser to the president upon matters which 

 are not under control of the academic 

 council, but belong to the executive respon- 

 sibilities—to pass approval or disapproval 

 upon all nominations for appointments, 

 promotion, dismissals, the creation or aboli- 

 tion of chaii's or departments. It is pro- 

 vided, however, that no recommendations 

 for appointments, promotions or dismissals, 

 or the fixing of salaries, shall originate with 

 the advisory board. The initiative in these 

 matters must come through the president. 

 This provision had for its object protection 

 against pressure brought to bear on the 

 board by colleagues or others, and the pre- 



