Trustees View Progress to 'Top Third' by Sam Carrier Award; the Faculty Compensation Pool Developments on the Budget Front

Obtrlin Cotfege (jBsewer OberCin, Ohio Volume 10, Number 8 Thiu:sday 8 December 1988 Trustees view progress to 'top third' by Sam Carrier award; the faculty compensation pool developments on the budget front. past loan that has come due. Last weekend the board of trustees will be increased by 8.5 percent; and The consolidated five-year budget "We have succeeded in recruiting considered a financial plan for the the administrative and professional plan that I presented incorporated greater numbers of students into the next five years designed to put Ober- staff (A&PS) pool, by 7 percent. both operating and capital expendi¬ applicant pool," says dean of enroll¬ lin College in the top third of its refer¬ (Compensation increases for union¬ tures. Previously, the provost had ment planning Douglass Gardner. ence group of "competitor colleges," ized employee groups—administra¬ focused primarily on the operating "We now can begin to shape each as measured by "key indicators." tive assistants and service employ¬ budget, while vice president for busi¬ new class, rather than having it President S. Frederick Starr reported ees—are governed by contract.) ness and finance Dayton Livingston shaped for us." that during the last five years the had developed the capital budget. Funds to complete the current college has made substantial prog¬ Possible additional salary Joining me in reviewing capital- phase of the renovation and construc¬ ress. In particular Oberlin has gained The 1989-90 faculty compensation spending needs was the new vice tion program as well as money to ground in two key areas: admissions increase of 8.5 percent surpasses the president for operations. Donna begin several new projects will be and development. Selectivity has increases of roughly 7 percent that Raynsford, assisted by the new direc¬ included in a bond issue to be placed improved, with 43 percent of appli¬ occurred in each of the past two tor of facilities planning and con¬ in March. The issue is expected to be cants to the College of Arts and Sci¬ years. The financial plan calls for 8.5 struction, Robert Meyer. from $12 to $15 million and will com¬ ences being admitted this fall com¬ percent increases in subsequent plete a program of external financing pared with 67 percent five years ago. years. Discussions have begun among More for academic programs of about $45 million. The percentage of alumni contribut¬ senior administrators and members Capital spending plans for the next ing to the college has increased from of the general faculty planning com¬ few years will place greater emphasis Three-phase building 23 percent to 51 percent over the mittee about changes in budget pri¬ on programmatic needs in academic The first phase enabled significant same period. "We are well positioned orities that would allow faculty com¬ areas. Projects undertaken to date improvements in the dormitories to make further gains," Starr told the pensation to reach the top third target have included many in the housing such as Tank, Talcott, Baldwin, trustees. more rapidly. Should Oberlin's rela¬ and dining system as well as some in North, Keep, and Allencroft. The As the next step to reach the top- tive position in the reference group of academic areas. These projects were second phase, now underway, in¬ third goal, the trustees approved colleges not improve during 1988- selected to strengthen the environ¬ cludes the expansion of the Conserva¬ preliminary guidelines to be used in 89—something I will learn after data ment for recruiting and retaining tory Library, renovation of the upper preparing the 1989-90 budget. Under from other schools are available in students in the face of the decline in floors of Carnegie for the department the guidelines, tuition will rise 10 February—I will recommend at the the number of 18-year-olds between of geology, and construction of the percent to $13,835, with a comparable March trustee meeting an additional now and 1992. They went a long way north campus dining/social hall. The increase in the average financial aid increase in faculty compensation for toward solving deferred maintenance third phase will include very costly, 1989-90. problems within the dormitories— Sam Carrier is provost. The meeting saw other important deferred maintenance representing a •Continued on page 3 Oberlin College and Smithsonian to save jazz To prevent the disappearance of the classic-jazz concert series, and the nation's jazz heritage, which is now production of newly recorded inter¬ preserved mainly on records, Oberlin pretations of early recorded classics. College and the Smithsonian Institu¬ They will also provide a vital educa¬ tion are launching Jazz Masterworks tional tool to higher education, in Editions (JME), an organization that turn promoting a new direction in will publish the first authoritative jazz scholarship." Starr is author of transcriptions (musical notations) of the book. Red and Hot: The Fate of Jazz recorded classic jazz performances by in the Soviet Union and cofounder and Duke Ellington, Fletcher Henderson, leader of the Louisiana Repertory Count Basic, Earl Hines, Artie Shaw, Jazz Ensemble. Benny Goodman, Jimmie Lunceford, With Roger G. Kennedy, director and Dizzy Gillespie. JME's advisory of the Smithsonian's National Mu¬ board includes Woody Allen, Johnny seum of American History, Starr as¬ Carson, Dizzy Gillespie, Kareem Ab- sembled an executive board for JME dul-Jabbar, Artie Shaw, John Wil¬ that includes four prominent jazz liams, Steve Allen, and Dudley authorities: composer, conductor, Moore, among others. author, publisher, and record pro¬ ducer Gunther Schuller, former presi¬ Rockefeller planning grant dent of the New England Conserva¬ The publication project—which tory of Music and a member of the will begin with three volumes de¬ visiting committee for the Oberlin voted to transcriptions of extended conservatory; composer and per¬ works by the Duke Ellington Orches¬ former David Baker, distinguished tra and recordings by the Fletcher professor of music and chair of the Henderson and Count Basie orches¬ jazz department at Indiana Univer¬ tras—will make possible informed sity; critic Martin Williams, creator of scholarly study and modem perform¬ the recording anthology, Smithsonian ances of many of the greatest jazz Collection of Classic Jazz; and ragtime creations; 12 volumes are to be pub¬ authority John Edward Hasse, cura¬ lished over an initial five-year period. tor in the division of musical history A campaign to raise funds for the at the National Museum of American $1.25 million project is in progress, History. The executive director of the supported by a planning grant from project is Ronald M. Radano. the Rockefeller Foundation. "This promises to become one of Lost cadenzas the most significant and lasting con¬ "Sooner or later this century's jazz tributions to the appreciation of jazz," heritage will disappear unless it ap¬ says President S. Frederick Starr, pears in some permanent condition, whose conception JME is. "The edi¬ just as most of Mozart's improvised tions will enable professional reper¬ cadenzas are lost because neither he tory orchestras and college jazz en¬ nor anyone else took the trouble to So far this season, the men's swimming and diving team have a 1-2 win-loss sembles to re-create in live perform¬ write them down," says Schuller. record, the women's, 2-1. Sophomore diver Mary Beth Moylan is among those ance the great classics of the recorded "W^hile it's true that we have great who will compete against Baldwin-Wallace College Saturday at 1 pm in Can repertory. Accordingly, they will jazz performances on records, records Pool encourage the growth of jazz reper¬ tory ensembles, the presentation of •Continued on page 3 Page 2 THE OBSERVER Thursday 8 December 1988

Real data for statistics called "Political Parties and Social Jeffrey Witmer, assistant professor of Movements in the Russian Civil mathematics, has received a Sloan War," the book will deal with parti¬ Foundation special leave grant of san peasant insurgency against the $17,886 so that he can write a supple¬ Bolsheviks. ment on data analysis that may be used with any standard elementary Trumpet in London statistics textbook. The supplement Steven Plank, associate professor of will present for statistical analysis musicology, is cotranslator with Ed¬ "real sets of data" on, for example, ward Tarr '57 of Tarr's The Trumpet, "the 1970 draft lottery, the failure of published in London this year by B.T. the Space Shuttle Orings ..., the Batsford. Originally issued in Ger¬ effect of race on the imposition of the man in 1977, the book is a history of death penalty, the 1936 Literary Digest the instrument—construction, reper¬ poll, and the effect of vitamin C on tory, and performance practice—from cancer patients." Witmer's project antiquity to the present. grew out of a 1987 workshop on sta¬ tistics in the liberal arts sponsored by Otolaryngology the Sloan Foundation, where mathe¬ Professor of singing Richard Miller Tall Forward' maticians from various colleges con¬ has been appointed to the adjunct cluded "that students should be in¬ staff of the Cleveland Clinic's depart¬ Sophomore Cindy Rodenhiser performs in "The Ball" in "Fall Forward," the dance troduced to statistics through data- ment of otolaryngology and commu¬ concert to he presented tonight, tomorrow, and Saturday at 8 pm in Warner Center. centered courses" instead of the nicative disorders in the division of Tickets are priced from $2 to $4. courses centered "on mathematical surgery. The appointment "should theory and formulas" offered at most prove of great value in the pursuit of liberal-arts colleges. some areas of vocal research," says Witmer plans to work on the book Miller. His appointment runs through Students perform in this summer, to test it both in his own the end of next year. classes and in those of other work¬ shop participants during the 1989-90 Learning from tutors winning opera scene school year, and to finish writing it in Leonard Podis, associate professor of the summer of 1990. expository writing and English, pre¬ The final scene of the new one-act tion finals, according to pianist Alan sented a paper entitled "Peer Tutors: chamber opera Skin Drum"(1987) —as Montgomery, assistant music director Ackermann and 2-PAP What the Teacher Can Learn" at the performed by two conservatory jun¬ of opera theater, who performed with third Miami University conference on iors, soprano Phoebe Yadon-Lewis the singers. He was assisted by pian¬ On 10 November professor of chemis¬ try Martin Ackermann addressed the the teaching of writing, which took and tenor Kenneth L. Tarver, Jr.— ist Antoinette Arnold '89. Jennifer ?lace in Oxford, Ohio, 21 October, won first place for young British com¬ Stiles '87, opera theater visiting staff Ohio State University chemistry de¬ partment on "Zero Valent Metal he theme of the conference was poser Julian Grant in the National member, served as assistant stage "The Writing Teacher as Researcher." Opera Association (NOA) biennial director. Complexes of 2-Phenylazopyridine chamber opera competition. The (2-PAP)." This winter Inorganic Chem¬ OCOPE gives food, money Oberlin performance took first place Performance in Oberlin istry will publish a paper by Acker¬ mann on the same subject. He spent Members of the Oberlin College Of¬ 18 November during NOA's 34th Yadon-Lewis and Tarver will re¬ fice and Professional Employees annual convention in Columbus. As a prise their performance as part of the last winter term and spring semester on sabbatical leave in Oberlin, con¬ (OCOPE), the administrative assis¬ result, NOA will present a complete opera scenes program. Part II, which tants' union, will hand over a check production of Skin Drum with cham¬ will take place at 8 pm Saturday in tinuing his research in organometallic synthesis—the production of com¬ for more than $1,100 and a stock of ber orchestra at its 1989 convention in Kulas Recital Hall. donated food to the Oberlin Commu¬ Albuquerque, New Mexico. pounds with at least one carbon- metal bond. nity Services Council for its holiday Competing for the future assistance program. The amount was Honored athletes determined by a vote of the member¬ "The opera, based as it is on legen¬ In addition to the 12 soccer players Presenting a premiere ship. Members of OCOPE's executive dary material, is part ritual and part named to the all-North Coast Athletic On Wednesday in Merkin Hall, New board will present these gifts reality, and the music of the final Conference (NCAC) teams (Observer York City, associate professor of vio¬ Wednesday at the community center duet is rapturously lyrical," says Ju¬ 24 November), 11 athletes from other lin Gregory Fulkerson will present to the council's executive director dith Layng, professor of opera thea¬ fall sports were also honored. Fresh¬ the New York premiere of a sonata Ann Fuller and its copresidents Mar¬ ter, who staged the program. Layng man Pam Breitbeil of the volleyball by Stephen Dembski, with Professor garet Papworth, secretary to the dean is NOA state governor for Ohio. "The team was named to the all-NCAC Robert Shannon at the piano. This of the conservatory, and Robert chamber opera competition, the third first team, the only freshman to be so weekend Fulkerson will perform the Dixon, emeritus associate professor of such NOA program, was designed to designated; named to the second Sibelius Violin Concerto with the psychology. encourage the creation of one-act team for the second year in a row was New Amsterdam Symphony at Trin¬ OCOPE board members are Julie operas for small ensembles," she junior cocaptain Angel Mortel. ity Auditorium, New York City. Fulk¬ Weir, night supervisor at the main says, "and it is an excellent national Two players from the women's erson and Shannon have a recital library, president; Elizabeth Chose, forum in which to present new field hockey team were given all- scheduled for 25 February at the secretary for the associate dean of the works; it also provides a wonderful NCAC honorable mention: junior Honolulu Academy of Arts. conservatory, vice president; opportunity for the performers of the forward Alison Berman and sopho¬ L'Wanda Greenlaw, daytime desk future, such as these Oberlin stu¬ more goalie Melissa Merrill. Sopho¬ Slavic studies in Honolulu supervisor at the main library, per¬ dents, to work closely with the com¬ more Lisa Longstreth, while not mak¬ Two faculty members—Daniel sonnel coordinator; Mark Kuestner, posers of the future." ing the all-NCAC team, was named Goulding, professor of film studies assistant at the science library, second The Oberlin performance received to Perm Monto's Great Lakes regional and theater arts, and Vladimir vice president; Lynda Lee, student considerable acclaim from the NOA all-America second team, as was Ber¬ Brovkin, assistant professor of gov¬ support services, secretary; and Linda members who attended the competi- man. Three cross-country runners ernment and Dana Faculty Fellow— Hiibert, assistant to the director of qualified for the National Collegiate delivered papers last month at the information services, treasurer. New technician Athletic Association's division III 20th annual national conference of regional meet: sophomore Liz Mau¬ the American Association for the Baum prize established A new member of the Wilder Hall rice, freshman Laura Haldeman, and Advancement of Slavic Studies, held The mathematics department has staff is Eric Cowley (Albion College sophomore Jesse Malkin. this year in Honolulu. Goulding's instituted an endowed prize in mem¬ BA 1972), building manager/techni¬ Two players from the men's foot¬ was entitled "Yugoslavia's Stalinist ory of John Baum, a member of the cian of Finney Chapel. During the ball team, senior strong safety Joe Past: Filmic Reflections" and was part faculty from 1953 to 1982, who died academic year he is responsible for Apprendi and sophomore linebacker of a session on "Anti-Stalinist Cinema in November 1987. The John D. Baum technical and production support of Dwayne Rader, were named to the in Eastern Europe." The paper re¬ Memorial Prize in Mathematics will events in Finney; in the summer he all-NCAC second team. Three players flected research for his latest book. be awarded annually to the Oberlin will also manage Wilder, Kettering, were named to the third team: senior Post New Wave Cinema in the Soviet College student who receives the and King and assist with conference tailback and cocaptain Fred Cum- Union and Eastern Europe, scheduled highest score in the William Lowell services' programs. Cowley has been mings; junior center Shawn Lee; and to be published in December by Indi¬ Putnam mathematics competition, technical director for the Nikolais senior cocaptain and defensive end ana University Press. Goulding has which is sponsored by the Mathemat¬ Dance Theatre and for New Drama¬ Rich Johnson. Senior cocaptain and been invited to appear on a similar ics Association of America. Partici¬ tists in New York City, stage manager split end Jim Tomlinson and fresh¬ panel at the next World Congress for pants in this "prestigious competi¬ or assistant stage manager for pro¬ man linebacker Mike Laposky were Slavic Studies, to be held in Great tion," says Robert Young, Clark pro¬ ductions in New York and Chicago, given honorable mention. Tomlinson, Britain in early 1990. fessor ot mathematics and depart¬ and a carpenter and technician for who received the same honor last Brovkin's paper, "On the Internal ment chair, "come from throughout fashion shows. Since 1984 he has been year, is a chemistry honors student Front: The Bolsheviks and the North America." With the Baum maintenance supervisor at the Bolton and a nominee for Academic Ail- Greens," will be the basis for a chap¬ prize, Oberlin's highest scorer in the Valley ski resort in Vermont. American. ter in a book he is writing. To be competition will be awarded $100. Thursday 8 December 1988 THE OBSERVER Page 3 'Oberlin' church founded in Jamaica in 1837 by John Harvith was bom in Jamaica and earned the Oberlin College is spearheading an Ladies' Literary Degree at Oberlin area appeal for contributions to aid College in 1857; the next year she the Oberlin Church, High School, and returned to Jamaica to serve at Ober¬ Medical Clinic in Jamaica, all of lin Station with her husband, which were devastated by hurricane Thornton Bigelow Penfield, who Gilbert 12 September. An estimated earned both the AB degree from $400,000 in damage was sustained by Oberlin College in 1856 and a degree the complex, which is located in the from the Oberlin Theological Semi¬ mountainous Jamaican interior some nary in 1858. Within five years, Sarah 18 miles north of Kingston. The Ingraham Penfield's health was bro¬ school has 1,800 students. ken, and she died in 1864. The national center for the relief In all, some 36 Oberlin missionar¬ effort is Overland Park (Kansas) ies served in Jamaica in the mid-19th Christian Church, whose pastor, Tom century, teaching basic subjects, in¬ Frommer, says that the priorities for cluding geography, in the mission Standing by the new compact shelving in and intern Nancy Weitendorf, who holds his appeal are corrugated metal roof¬ schools that had anywhere from 80 to the archives storage area are Dana intern an MLS from Kent State University. ing and roofing nails, lumber, tools, 130 students. By the end of 1857, the Pamela Kirwin '89, assistant archivist Pruitt's hand rests on a handle for rolling bulk food, medical supplies, kerosene Oberlin missionary network had Lisa Pruitt, archivist Roland Baumann, the stack of shelves. lamps, paint, caulking, school books, eight stations and out-stations, seven departmental assistant Anne Pearson, and school supplies. churches with 450 members, and 16 missionaries. The recruits were Unknown namesake largely cut off from communication Although named for Oberlin Col¬ with family and friends: there was no Archives has more space lege and staffed by Oberlin alumni in direct route for letters to travel be¬ Space to store some 850 more boxes example, a photograph of the 1894 the mid-19th century, the Oberlin tween Jamaica and the US, and sur¬ of archival material has been added football team. The wide, flat drawers complex in Jamaica has never had viving diaries and reports in American to the west side of the archives, of a new map cabinet contain posters any formal ties with Oberlin College. Missionary consistently mention the thanks to new compact shelving and drawings, such as an 1835 plan In 1837 alumnus David S. Ingraham frustration of having letters to and manufactured by Spacesaver Corpo¬ for the Oberlin Colony. Speaking of established a network of missionary from the US never reach their desti¬ ration. While ordinary stacks of these recently purchased storage stations in Jamaica. Ingraham's pio¬ nations. shelves are fixed to the floor with facilities, archivist Roland Baumann neering venture took place in the aisles between them for access, each says, "We're very pleased that the wake of 1834 legislation by the British Allen in Jamaica stack of compact shelving may be administration has made it possible Parliament that emancipated 800,000 Oberlin alumnus and faculty mem¬ rolled, so that an aisle may be opened for us to deal with the next eight to 10 slaves held in the West Indies. ber George Nelson Allen, the man wherever it is needed—and closed years of archival accessions." "The desperate needs of these credited with laying the foundation where it is not needed. The arrange¬ In the first quarter of this fiscal freedmen were brought to the notice for Oberlin's music program, taught ment permits more stacks in a given year (July through September), the of Oberlin by David S. Ingraham," arithmetic, grammar, and biology at space. archives accessioned more college according to Delavan Leonard's 1898 one of the Jamaican missionary Other installations providing addi¬ records—measured in linear feet— book The Story of Oberlin, which noted schools during the 1863-64 academic tional storage space in the archives, than in all of 1987-88. These acces¬ that Ingraham "conceived the idea of year. In his diary he noted the vari¬ which are located on the fourth floor sions included 62 feet of records from a mission to the blacks of Jamaica to ous specimens of birds, bats, rats, of Mudd, include new molding on the office of the dean of students be carried on independently of any snakes, butterflies, flowers, and the wall that allows framed items to covering the years 1962 to 1984 and outside assistance." Ingraham arrived leaves he had collected for Oberlin's hang in visible storage; there is, for 52 feet of records from what is now on the island with his wife, alumna biology cabinets (Observer 12 March the office of communications, cover¬ Betsey A. Hartson, and several others 1981,13 May 1982). Nelson even ing the years 1950 to 1980. There are in the fall of 1837. He established found the time to tune a piano in one additional records from the women's several missionary stations, among of the Jamaican missionaries' homes, Morrisett poses studies program and the physical them Oberlin Station, which was a but remarked that the tuning would education department and additions first stop for new missionary recruits not hold for long in such a climate. challenges to the collections of Oberlin presiden¬ arriving on the island. By the 1860s, "it became so evident At the end of the open session of tial papers. The college archives is that the spiritual well-being of this the board of trustees Saturday, board also the repository for records from Short lives island might with wisdom be turned chair George Bent announced the the surrounding community: the The missionaries depended almost over to the hands of British Christians retirement of Lloyd Morrisett from Russia Township Farm Women's totally on their own labor for subsis¬ that no more reinforcements were active trustee service, and Morrisett Club records of 1981 to 1986 are tence, building their own homes, as sent," according to The Story of Ober¬ spoke of three challenges facing the among the new accessions. well as chapels and schoolhouses. lin, "and with a few exceptions the board. The first is helping the Oberlin Their diet was monotonous and poor missionaries took their departure and community learn from its own racial, in nutrition; they were prey to illness sought service elsewhere in the great ethnic, and religious differences; the Top-third goal... and exhaustion; and many wore labor field." second, encouraging "productive •Continued from page 1 themselves out, dying at young ages. According to the American Mission¬ relations" among members of the Ingraham died in 1841, at 29 years of ary of January 1858, the Jamaican board, the administration, and the but necessary, multimillion-dollar age. The Ingrahams' daughter, Sarah, missions were founded "to enlighten faculty. The third challenge, to which improvements in the college's sewer and service the once oppressed he devoted most of his short talk, was connections to the city's upgraded people of Jamaica" and to "endeavor making Oberlin College the premier sewer system. It will also include the to prepare the soil, sow the seed, liberal-arts college in the US. Mor¬ construction of an addition to Ketter¬ Saving jazz ... watch and carefully nourish the risett warned against illusions of ing Hall to house the neuroscience •Continued from page 1 young and tender plants, and gather progress toward that goal. Measuring program. into the garner of the Lord as much of endowment and total assets per stu¬ At a lengthy meeting of the trus¬ are not a living legacy. Our younger the fruitful crop as we can." Such was dent, he said, there has been since tees' building and grounds commit¬ generation, for example, is far more the spirit that motivated the Oberlin 1935 a "clear decline in real dollars tee, vice president Raynsford out¬ interested in rock than in jazz. With alumni who established and sus¬ backing each student." The decline lined new procedures for planning future generations disinterested in tained the Oberlin complex in Ja¬ has not been steady; we are now and monitoring physical-plant proj¬ buying the jazz recordings, I predict maica during its earliest years. Today about where we were in 1955, but in ects. These procedures are being es¬ that it will not be long before our jazz there is a network of 44 churches, 1988 we cannot look forward to the tablished, according to Raynsford, "to heritage, which now exists only on four medical clinics, and one high good national economic conditions ensure that adequate time and effort records, will disappear altogether. school stemming from Oberlin alum¬ that prevailed after 1955 and allowed are given to the planning and pro¬ Any music that is not kept alive in nus Ingraham's 1837 initiative; this Oberlin's economy to improve. gramming phase of capital projects." live performance will die, sooner or network is now related to the Dis¬ Earlier in the meeting, during the Under these revamped procedures, as later. Also, in our society, jazz will ciples of Christ. discussion of the budget, trustee Pris- a project develops, its cost, design, never be recognized as a fully re¬ Contributions to the relief effort cilla Hunt noted the gap between the schedule, and impact are continu¬ spectable, serious art until we have for the ravaged Oberlin Church, High compensation increase for faculty ously monitored. available a representative and sub¬ School, and Medical Clinic should be and A&PS, a gap that has widened stantial jazz literature to be studied, sent to the Jamaica Hurricane Relief recently. (Before 1984, the A&PS to be performed, to exist in music Committee in care of Overland Park regularly received the same compen¬ Publication schedule libraries and stores, and, thus, to be Christian Church, 7600 W. 75th St., sation increase as the faculty.) She The Observer publishes one issue in revered just as we revere classical Overland Park, Kansas 66204 (tele¬ asked if it was not a cause for con¬ December—this one. The next publi¬ music." Schuller adds, "If anyone phone: 913/677-4646). All funds sent cern. The answer was that in the na¬ cation date is 19 January 1989. The cares about the continuance of jazz to the relief fund will go directly to tional labor market the faculty lags next issue to be mailed to parents of and its place in our society, this proj¬ the Oberlin complex. behind the A&PS. current students is that of 2 February. ect must go forward." John Harvith is director of news services. Page 4 THE OBSERVER Thursday 8 December 1988 Remarks on governance by Geoffrey Blodgett management of the college, including 6. From 1949 to 1973 the powers of I was asked to comment on the report admissions. Since this was the condi¬ the presidency were steadily of last spring's accreditation commit¬ tion on which Charles G. Finney strengthened by the board through tee and to offer some historical per¬ agreed to come to Oberlin and join new by-laws giving the president spectives on its observations about the faculty, the decisions of 1835 ulti¬ responsibility for the budget, author¬ Oberlin College's governance system. mately came to be called the Finney izing him to name deans, authorizing Those observations, which are quite Compact, although that name for it him to make separate recommenda¬ critical, can be summarized in six was not invented until 100 years later. tions to the board on faculty person¬ points: 2. In 1850 Oberlin's first president, nel matters if he disagreed with coun¬ 1. The Oberlin faculty governance Asa Mahan, resigned under intense cil recommendations, and giving him system is unusually elaborate, very faculty pressure and was replaced by authority to reallocate faculty posi¬ time-consuming, and possibly inef¬ Finney. One of the counts in the accu¬ tions on death or retirement. This last fective. mulating indictment against Mahan by-law change—slot reallocation— 2. It is a system that focuses was inadequate faculty salaries. climaxed the most recent major gov¬ enormous amounts of time, energy, Thereafter, Finney's frequent long ernance crisis during the presidency and psychological tension on the absences from Oberlin entrenched of Robert Fuller, and its passage in annual salary review and distracts habits of faculty self-governance. The 1973, followed by a faculty drive attention from broader issues of cur¬ fact that Finney and ms successor, toward unionization, was one of the riculum, college mission, and long- James Fairchild, were teaching mem¬ reasons for Fuller's abrupt departure. range planning. In fact our govern¬ bers of the faculty got their colleagues The current process by which ance system is an obstacle to effective into the habit of thinking of them as EPPC ranks departmental requests faculty policy-making. first among equals. for additions to staff and recom¬ 3. The faculty's egalitarian tradi¬ 3. In 1890, at the end of Fairchild's mends these rankings to the college Rice in Rice tions and mistrust of hierarchy pre¬ presidency, the traditions of faculty faculty council dates from 1974. It This portrait bust ofFenelon Rice, direc¬ vent it from trying "the normal alter¬ governance that had matured over sprang up right after Fuller's depar¬ tor of the conservatory from 1872 until native" for salary review, whereby the years were codified and formally ture to insure close faculty involve¬ his death in 1901, was installed this fall department chairs recommend salary presented to the trustees. Thirteen ment in the process of slot realloca¬ in the faculty lounge in Rice Hall, where increases to the dean, and the dean years later, in 1903, the Finney Com¬ tion. the former conservatory practice rooms makes the effective final decision. pact was written into the college by¬ now serve as college faculty offices. Exe¬ 4. The faculty status of president laws where it remains today—Article Other evolutions cuted by English sculptor Spicer-Simson, and deans gives them significant 15, Section 2—in language remarka¬ So those were the crises from the bust was "exhibited in the French involvement in faculty deliberations, bly similar to that of 1835. which our current system came. Salon... where it received the highest but their role is limited by "zealous" 4. In 1917, American entry into Much more, of course, could be said commendation from the thousands of faculty protection of its authority World War I brought into focus is¬ about the history of departments and strangers and critics who saw it there," under the by-laws. sues of academic freedom and war¬ their chairs, about the role of the according to C. W. Morrison, writing in 5. The role of departmental chairs time dissent. Both the American Civil president's senior staff meetings in the Hi-O-Hi of 1905. Morrison suc¬ weakened noticeably across the Liberties Union (ACLU) and the the governance of the college, the role ceeded Rice as conservatory director. The 1970s, and the position is widely American Association of University of the board, the role of students, the bust, a gift of Mrs. S.A.S. Moulton, was viewed as "a thankless job with very Professors (AAUP) sprang up to pro¬ procedural changes introduced by unveiled in old Warner Hall in 1904. little power and no compensation." tect these freedoms. At Oberlin the affirmative action and the report on Its recent home has been the basement (Since the report was filed, a program issues swirled around Karl Geiser, the status of women, the role of fac¬ of the present conservatory building, now of modest compensation for depart¬ the one-man political science depart¬ ulty caucuses over time, and the way undergoing renovation. Director of li¬ ment chairs has been installed, hav¬ ment who was a specialist in interna¬ the college responds to outside offers. braries William A. Moffett, who had the ing been recommended by the dean tional law and who was suspected of But it is time to wind down. I will bust moved from there to Rice Hall, notes and approved by the councils. Hav¬ being pro-German because of his conclude by quoting from President that this is not the first time he has dis¬ ing served a regular term as chair in dissenting views on a German Wilkins' annual report of 1937 about posed of "a body in the basement." He the early 1970s and a shorter term as submarine's sinking of the Lusitania. Oberlin's system of faculty self-gov¬ brought The Reading Girl and La acting chair a decade later, I share the When trustees tried to remove Geiser ernance: Penserosa out of storage and into Mudd perception that the position has been from the faculty, he resisted. The "The President believes that the re¬ Center (Observer 30 October 1980,25 decisively limited in its discretionary faculty launched an investigation of sults of the procedure [for faculty November 1982). authority.) the charges against him, and cleared evaluation] fully justifies all the time, 6. In the absence of a long-range him. At this point the Finney Com¬ effort, expense, and 'grief involved; institutional plan with a "coherent pact acquired a strong association and that the results are much better New JFO leaders overview," the college has developed with the concept of academic free¬ than the results of a system of admin¬ Anne Farley Ford '44 and trustee an annual "short-run" plan through dom. (The ironic sequel was that 15 istrative appointment of the ordinary James W. Ford '45 have been ap¬ the EPPC's (educational plans and years later Geiser became in the exer¬ type could possibly be." pointed cochairs of the John Freder¬ policies committee) priority ranking cise of his freedom a prominent Wilkins said that about the old ick Oberlin Society. Members of the of requests for new faculty positions. apologist for Nazi Germany.) council system before he changed his society have contributed at least But these recommendations are not 5. Between 1946 and 1949 the mind about it. I think that his words $1,000 for current operating support clearly coordinated with any long- harshest governance crisis since Asa apply equally well to the modem of the college. The JFO chairs are "the range financial plan for the college as Mahan's departure resulted in the council system that replaced it. chief fund-raising volunteers for a whole. emergence of the modem faculty Oberlin's most generous donors and councils system. The earlier council Geoffrey Blodgett, Robert S. Danforth therefore will play an important role Distinctive system system was incredibly complex. It professor of history, made these remarks in the success of the Campaign for All this suggests that faculty gov¬ consisted of three large councils, on Oberlin College governance at the Oberlin," says Michael Magoon, di¬ ernance at Oberlin is problematic. made up of the tenured faculty of the college faculty meeting of 1 November. rector of the annual fund. The historical perspective is that fac¬ college, conservatory, and Graduate ulty governance has been problem¬ School of Theology, and a general atic from the college's beginnings in council whose membership consisted the 1830s. Our system may not be sui of the tenured faculty of the institu¬ Campaign call to employees generis, but it is certainly distinctive tion as a whole. Each of these coun¬ among comparable institutions, and cils elected an appointments commit¬ by Claudia Braxton campus campaign will run through criticisms of it—similar to those of the tee, on which the president and ap¬ The 1988-89 campus campaign is April. Gifts may be made outright or accrediting committee—have been propriate deans also served. Each of underway. Board of trustees chair by a pledge to be paid on or before 30 registered from time to time over the these appointment committees sub¬ George R. Bent is kicking off the 1988- June 1989. Automatic payroll deduc¬ whole span of our history, by trus¬ mitted recommendations on faculty 89 campaign with a letter to all em¬ tions may be set up for a specific tees, administrators, alumni, stu¬ appointments, salaries, and promo¬ ployees encouraging participation in period of time or indefinitely. dents, and on occasion by faculty tions to its council for debate and this year's drive for the annual fund. Earlier campus campaigns have members themselves. approval before transmission to the All gifts made by faculty and staff been very successful among solicited board of trustees. In 1946 President members will count toward the $80- employee groups. During 1987-88,50 Crisis episodes Ernest Hatch Wilkins (who was about million goal of the five-year Cam¬ percent of tenured faculty members, Let me point briefly to six crisis to retire) decided that open faculty paign for Oberlin. While over half of 45 percent of administrative and pro¬ episodes that mark the path that debate about one another's merits the campaign's objectives are related fessional staff members, and 18 per¬ brought us from the beginning to the was unacceptable and got the trustees to endowment and capital needs, 25 cent of administrative assistants present. They are checkpoints in what to change the by-laws to prevent it. percent—$20 million—is to be raised made gifts to the annual fund—all might be called a permanent Oberlin The upshot three years later was the through the annual fund, which pro¬ percentage increases over the previ¬ governance crisis—a long trail of emergence of the modem council vides a critical source of income for ous year. It is hoped that this year's bruises, dissatisfactions, and disap¬ system, with all faculty members the college's current operating ex¬ campaign will see contributions from pointments. (tenured and untenured) voting in penses, filling the gap between tui¬ an even greater numbers of employ¬ 1. In 1835 the trustees reluctantly council elections and with the ethic of tion and endowment income and the ees. approved a policy of black admis¬ confidentiality in council delibera¬ actual cost of keeping Oberlin College sions to the college and granted to the tions replacing the old system of running on a day-to-day basis. Claudia Braxton is assistant director of faculty decisive control over internal open debate over personnel issues. The active phase of the 1988-89 the annual fund. Thursday 8 December 1988 THE OBSERVER Page 5 Four new professors, leave fellowships announced Four faculty members in the col¬ tropical forests, although unrelated Europe in the 13th and 14th centuries, of the 1960s upon Soviet prose of the lege—two of them in the geology phylogenetically, represent conver¬ relating the imagery in a group of 1980s. department—were promoted from gent systems that play similar roles in illustrated compendia to the distinc¬ Professor of singing Richard associate professor to full professor at the maintenance of animals living in tive devotional practices of late me¬ Miller received a McCandless cur¬ last weekend's meeting of the board forest canopies. dieval nuns. riculum development fellowship to of trustees. The four are Roger Ana Cara, associate professor of Peter Mclnemey, associate profes¬ undertake a detailed investigation of Copeland, theater; Phyllis Gorfain, Spanish, plans to finish a book on a sor of philosophy, plans to complete some physiologic and acoustic factors English; Bruce Simonson, geology, collection of poems by Argentine a study of the nature of persons. that contribute to efficient function in and Steven Wojtal, geology. writer Jorge Luis Borges (1899-1986). Common-sense notions of "person" the singing voice. Such information, The poems correspond to a tradi¬ apply to almost all adult humans but which would transcend traditional Research status tional Argentine form called milonga, not to other animals and, often, not to imagery and speculation as to how The trustees also approved 1989-90 and her book will place them within very young children. Also, a person is the singing voice best operates, will appointments to research status and the tradition as well as in the author's said to be the same person from day be useful in courses in vocal peda¬ to several fellowships supporting individual oeuvre. to day and year to year. These no¬ gogy released time from teaching. Research Marcia Colish, Frederick B. Artz tions are challenged by both cognitive The Andrew Delaney fellowship in status—which relieves faculty mem¬ professor of history, will do research science and historicist theories. Mcln¬ the social sciences was awarded to bers of teaching and committee work for a book-length study of the theolo- emey plans to respond to these chal¬ Chandra Mohanty, assistant profes¬ for a year and reimburses expenses eian Peter Lombard (ca. 1100-1160). lenges by defining how persons are sor of women's studies and sociology up to $3,300—was awarded to the She plans to explore the substance of different from other conscious beings of education. Using methods of cul¬ following five faculty members: his teaching and the reasons for its and specifying the variability consis¬ tural analysis and ideology critique, David Benzing, Robert S. Dan¬ success. tent with being one person. she will examine western feminist forth professor of biology, will travel Jeffrey Hamburger, assistant pro¬ representations of Third World to five or more Pacific rim countries fessor of art, will conduct an interdis¬ Research fellowships women in the context of the eco¬ investigating his hypothesis that cer¬ ciplinary study of the formative role Various fellowships endowed by nomic, cultural, and ideological he¬ tain epiphytes in new and old world of art in the convents of Northern grants to Oberlin College were gemony of the West. awarded to five faculty members. The James W. and Anne F. Ford Assistant professor of biology Yo- fellowship in the humanities went to landa Cruz received the W. M. Keck assistant professor of art Samuel fellowship in the natural sciences. She Walker for a threefold project. He will continue her study of cell alloca¬ will continue working on large-scale tion to different developmental fates etchings, incorporating alternative in mouse embryos, an important but media and means of presentation. He poorly understood process. will also research the history and Salaries report weighed The Andrew W. Mellon fellowship theory of related topics, such as car¬ Virtually no one speaking at the spe¬ dom consulted. It was pointed out, in the humanities was awarded to tography as metaphor. Finally, he cial meeting of the college faculty 29 also, that anyone may have his or her Arlene Forman, assistant professor of will begin a series of lithographs November entirely approved of the own name and salary removed from Russian, who will trace the evolution¬ working as a visiting artist with the changes to salary-evaluation proce¬ the list. ary development and subsequent Mason School of Art print workshop dures recommended by the external Before 1964, faculty salary data impact of the Young Prose movement at Rutgers University. review committee (Observer 10 No¬ were more public: complete lists were vember 1988). However, Clayton mailed to all faculty members. When Koppes, Irvin E. Houck professor in the trustees asked the president to Testing bovine prolactins ... the humanities, thought that a report discontinue this practice and estab¬ •Continued from page 6 strated the feasibility of the entire that came about because of faculty lish the present system, the Oberlin project. The combination of the sensi¬ discontent with the procedures ought chapter of the AAUP (American As¬ claimed for this work and in 1986 was tive, specific, and convenient Nb2 cell to be taken seriously by the faculty, sociation of University Professors) elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. bioassay with the specific amino-acid and professor of religion Gilbert issued a two-page protest. "By dis¬ It was a privilege as well as enor¬ changes in the hormone that can be Meilaender said that the recommen¬ continuing the confidential circula¬ mous fun to work in his laboratory. introduced using genetic engineering dations were headed in the right di¬ tion of salary information and by will lead to a new level of under¬ rection in that they would save fac¬ permitting individual faculty mem¬ Extracting bovine prolactin standing in PRL structure-function ulty members' "energy"—both physi¬ bers to withdraw their names from During my second year in Vancou- interrelationships: the identification cal and psychic—during the annual the lists, the Board has inhibited the ver I developed techmques for ex of the amino acids that are critical for evaluation process. free and easy access to a part of the tracting the PRL from the bacterial function. I presented the chief find¬ information necessary to responsible cells and making it work like "natu¬ ings of this work at an international Who evaluates? democratic action," the AAUP state¬ ral" PRL. When the Escherichia coli symposium in Montreal in October At present untenured faculty ment said. According to general fac¬ bacteria synthesize the PRL, they 1987, and in July of this year I spoke members who hold tenurable posi¬ ulty minutes of 11 February 1964, appear (speaking anthropomorphi- about this study at the International tions help evaluate colleagues in their Greenberg moved that the faculty cally) to recognize the fact that it is Congress on Prolactin held in Kyoto, departments; several people said that adopt the statement, and his motion foreign. They compress the PRL Japan. discontinuing this practice, as the passed by a vote of 95 to eight. molecules into insoluble aggregates review committee strongly recom¬ Continued discussion of the re¬ and throw membranes around them. Student assistants mends, would make "second-class view committee's report was on the After such treatment, the PRL was In my present research at Oberlin, citizens" of untenured faculty. Profes¬ agenda for Tuesday's regular meeting not easily isolated in the soluble form still funded by the National Science sor of classics Nathan Greenberg saw of the college faculty, along with a I needed in order to find out if it Foundation (Observer 1 September the possibility of three classes of citi¬ recommendation from the educa¬ would make the Nb2 cells grow. Af¬ 1988), we are using Escherichia coli zens: untenured faculty, tenured tional plans and policies committee to ter six months of effort, I overcame engineered by me to synthesize, not faculty, and department chairs; only establish a study-abroad program in these problems and can now rou¬ prolactin this time, but bovine chairs would be "first-class citizens," China. tinely prepare samples of bovine PRL growth hormone. Aaron Proweller he said, if, as the report recommends, that have bioactivities equal to or '89, biology honors student, is in the they were given authority to make slightly greater than that of the "natu¬ process of making a number of salary recommendations to the fac¬ Oberlin College Observer ral" PRL isolated from bovine pitui¬ amino-acid substitutions in this pro¬ ulty council without necessarily hav¬ (ISSN0193-368X) tary glands. tein to see whether it can be con¬ ing to consult other members of the A publication for Oberlin College With this hurdle overcome, work verted to a molecule with lactogenic department. facility, staff, trustees, parents of cur¬ began in earnest on the generation of properties—essentially a reversal of Restructuring the college faculty rent students, and friends. Editorial a number of mutant bovine PRLs, the work we're doing on prolactin. council so that each division (hu¬ board chair: Robert A. Haslun. Manag¬ using the technique of site-specific During winter term 19891 will be manities, social sciences, and sci¬ ing editor: Carol Ganzel. Assistant to mutagenesis. In each instance the running an intensive laboratory ences) has three representatives, as the editor: John Appley. Edited and genetic code in the DNA sequence course on site-directed mutagenesis recommended, might polarize the typeset at the office of communica¬ that specifies one of the amino acids for six students who are now taking faculty, some thought. The proposal tions; printed at graphic services. identified as possibly critical to the my course in nucleic acids and mo¬ to have council members serve stag¬ Published every other Thursday protein's biological function was lecular genetics, the course developed gered three-year terms won approval during the academic year, 1 September changed. When these mutant with the McCandless fellowship. from some speakers, but others to 25 May, excepting December, when prolactins were tested for bioactivity Several scientists at the Kyoto thought it would diminish faculty one issue is published. Publisher: in the Nb2 cell system, several were meeting have asked me for samples members' willingness to serve on Oberlin College, Office of Communica¬ found to retain more than 80 percent of the prolactin and growth hormone council. tions, 153 West Lorain Street, Oberlin, of the growth activity of "natural" variants. It is remarkable that mutant Ohio 44074. prolactin, two retained 30 to 45 per¬ hormones produced at Oberlin Col¬ 'Public' salary lists POSTMASTER: send address cent, and one had no detectable lege, by undergraduates along with The review committee proposes changes to the Observer, Office of growth activity at all, even though it their professor, have been or will "rescinding the requirement that all Communications, 153 West Lorain could not be distinguished immunol¬ soon be sent to laboratories in the US, faculty salary data be public." Green¬ Street, Oberlin, Ohio 44074. ogically from authentic, pituitary- Canada, Great Britain, and Australia berg said that they are not all that Subscriptions, September through derived prolactin. for determination of their activities in public—the data are on a list that is May, are $10 per year. Much more work lies ahead, but a number of different types of bioas¬ kept in the provost's office and sel¬ the research done to date has demon- say. Page 6 THE OBSERVER Thursday 8 December 1988 rp.GA TCG ATCG AT CGAT CGA TC

Author Dennis Luck and senior Aaron a single nucleotide in the prolactin gene, which specifies the amino acid tyrosine, specifies tyrosine. (The sequences of Proweller, biology honors student, study and each group of three nucleotides speci¬ found at position 28 in the prolactin interest can be seen most easily by look¬ an autoradiograph made by Proweller fies one amino acid. The first vertical molecule. In column 2 these three nucleo¬ ing for the bands immediately above the representing the DNA sequence of part of column shows part of the "natural" gene tides have been deleted; in 3 they have bottom four bands, which are the same in the bovine growth hormone gene. On the sequence; the other four are engineered been changed to TTC, which specifies all five columns and which denote the right is a detail from a similar autoradi¬ mutations. The arrows point to the se¬ phenylalanine; in 4, to CGT specifying sequence ATCC.) ograph. Each horizontal band represents quence TAC (reading top to bottom), arginine; and in 5 to TAT, which also Synthesizing recombinant bovine hormones by Dennis Luck circumstances, and some growth ity—to making Nb2 cells grow. The Michael Smith of the University of For the past five years I have been hormones—specifically, those from process of eliminating the other 194 British Columbia, Vancouver, devel¬ working on prolactin and growth monkeys and humans—may stimu¬ began by showing that all of the oping ways, first, to engineer bacte¬ hormone, two protein hormones syn¬ late milk production. PRL acts as a prolactins and placental lactogens as rial cells so that they would synthe¬ thesized by the anterior pituitary powerful growth-stimulating factor, well as human and monkey growth size bovine prolactin and, second, to gland. Prolactin and growth hormone or mitogen, for certain cancerous hormones stimulate the growth of extract this prolactin from the bacte¬ are interesting to study together for cells. In fact, the cells do not grow or Nb2 cells. By contrast, non-lactogenic rial cells and show that it is biologi¬ several reasons. As hormones they divide without a lactogenic hormone, pituitary hormones, including non- cally active. My work was supported elicit fascinating natural phenomena: such as bovine PRL. primate growth hormones (such as by the National Science Foundation prolactin in mammals is essential for bovine GH) fail to stimulate the and, from Oberlin, a McCandless milk production, and growth Testing hormones on Nb2 cells growth of Nb2 cells. When the curriculum development fellowship hormone stimulates body growth— The cancerous cells used in this amino-acid sequences of the 14 lacto¬ and a regular sabbatical leave. two very different physiological re¬ research are derived from one par¬ genic hormones (8 PRLs, 4 placental My genetic-engineering methods sponses. ticular rat lymph node, called me lactogens, and human and monkey were similar to those developed by Yet, despite this difference in their Nb2 node. These Nb2 cells proliferate GH) are aligned so as to maximize various researchers over the past actions, the two hormones are related at a rate proportional to the concen¬ their relatedness, the amino acids at decade to get bacteria to produce proteins. Both are about 200 amino tration of lactogen in the culture me¬ approximately 30 locations are found such proteins as human insulin and acids long. When the sequences of dium, thus providing a sensitive test to be conserved among hormones interferon and such industrial en¬ their amino acids are compared, they for determining the effect of lacto¬ that are stimulants of Nb2 cell zymes as those used in laundry deter¬ show similarities that indicate a com¬ genic hormones. Furthermore, Nb2 growth. Twenty-four of these 30 gents. The bacteria used were various mon evolutionary ancestor, and it is cells possess large numbers of surface amino acids are also found in bovine crippled strains of Escherichia coli, believed that about 750 million years receptors—about 12,000 per cell— GH, which is not a lactogenic which are quite unable to compete ago a single ancestral gene was dupli¬ that bind lactogenic hormones effec¬ hormone and is inactive in the Nb2 with the wild-type strains found in cated; one copy now directs the syn¬ tively and promote their growth- cell bioassay. all of our intestines. Into these bacte¬ thesis of growth hormone, the other, stimulating action. These cells are a This leaves only six amino acids ria the researchers introduced the the formation of prolactin in all verte¬ good tool, therefore, for defining the that are common to the proteins that DNA sequences encoding the pro¬ brates. (In non-mammalian verte¬ relationship between the structure stimulate growth—the mitogenic teins they wanted. brates prolactin plays important and the biological activity—in this proteins—and are not found in the roles, such as stimulating nest-build¬ case, growth—of prolactin. Charles non-mitogenic protein, bovine GH. Creating DNA templates ing behavior in birds and maintain¬ Beer and Peter Gout, scientists at the Thus it is possible to focus on a small To engineer bacteria to produce ing salt balance in fishes.) It is inter¬ British Columbia Cancer Research number of amino acids—just six out bovine PRL, I inserted the coding esting, therefore, to carry out parallel Centre in Vancouver, developed the of nearly 200—that are likely to be region of the bovine PRL gene into a experiments on these two hormones, tool—the Nb2 cell bioassay for lacto¬ important in stimulating growth. One plasmid—a small, extrachromosomal, comparing and contrasting their genic hormones—back in 1980 and object of my research is the system¬ circular, usually double-stranded structures and functions. are my collaborators in this study. atic analysis of the role of each of DNA molecule—especially modified these six amino acids. for the purpose. I made use of a par¬ Possible cancer treatment Choosing among 200 amino acids ticular plasmid constructed by a In addition, both prolactin and Since the effect of the lactogenic Using gene codes group at the European Molecular growth hormone are associated with hormone bovine PRL on Nb2 cells is I began research on prolactin in the Biological Laboratories in Heidelberg, various disorders. For example, there known and can be measured, the next summer of 1983, when I worked in West Germany, in 1983. This plasmid are prolactin-dependent breast tu¬ question is, which amino acid(s) of the laboratory of Professor Fritz has a most useful property: it is pack¬ mors that are generally more difficult the nearly 200 in bovine PRL deter¬ Rottman at Case Western Reserve aged in single-stranded form and can to treat than the more common estro¬ mine that effect? That is, which are University's School of Medicine. At be isolated as such when the bacteria gen-dependent tumors. Although my likely to be critical to the hormone's that time the gene that encodes bo¬ carrying it are infected by a particular research is being conducted at a fun¬ biological function? Of considerable vine prolactin was being character¬ virus or phage. The phage-specific damental level, it is conceivable that use in attempting to answer this ized; the bovine growth hormone enzymes replicate the plasmid DNA out of this work may come a thera¬ question are the published amino- gene had already been fully charac¬ to give many copies composed of peutic agent useful in treating such acid sequences of eight mammalian terized. I became more and more single-stranded DNA. I then used prolactin-dependent breast cancers. PRLs (bovine, ovine, porcine, equine, interested in the actual products of this single-stranded DNA, containing In this research I have been analyz¬ rat, mouse, human and whale), four these genes—the prolactin and the bovine PRL sequence, as the tem¬ ing systematically the structure-func¬ placental lactogens (human, bovine, growth hormone—and how they plate for producing a variety of mu¬ tion relationships that are involved in rat and mouse) and nine mammalian work. tant PRLs. the interaction of bovine prolactin growth hormones (GHs). Interest¬ Hormones synthesized by the pi¬ The procedure used to induce mu¬ (PRL) and the cells stimulated by it. ingly, only two of the nine growth tuitary gland in cattle are not suitable tations by changing one or more nu¬ Although its primary function is milk hormones—those from humans and for the research I do because it is cleotides in a DNA molecule in a production, prolactin, like its evolu¬ monkeys—are lactogenic. impossible to alter selectively the precise, predetermined way was first tionary "cousin" growth hormone, Using these sequences, it has been structures of these "natural" proteins. developed by Michael Smith of Van¬ may stimulate growth in some determined that about six of the 200 I needed to have bacteria synthesize couver. He has been widely ac- amino acids present in PRL are most these hormones. I worked for two Dennis Luck is professor of biology. likely to be crucial to mitogenic activ¬ years in the laboratory of Professor • Continued on page 5