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A SALUTARY INFLUENCE membership." At the General's suggestion, made at its first meeting in the fall of 1956, this committee moved to recommend to the faculty the election of a committee on committees "to study the entire committee structure of the College and to make recommendations to the faculty as a whole." Acting in a thoroughly democratic fashion, the faculty approved the idea, nominated by ballot candidates for the committee at its October meeting, and then by ballot elected eight persons, including the dean of the College, the following month. The seven persons who chose to serve on the committee on committees included three veteran department heads, three young assistant professors, and the dean. Quickly they agreed that the number of committees should be reduced drastically, the formation of new ones should be discouraged, the principle of rotation should be affirmed as faculty policy, the duties and size of each committee should be defined, two elected committees should be established, and specific provision should be made for a formal review of the proposed system. In May 1957 the faculty accepted the report. The Rule Governing Committees of the Faculty of Gettysburg College went into effect in the fall of 1957. A carefully drawn brief preamble reminded members of their prescribed duty to "bear an active part in the immediate government of the college, share in the general work of the institution, and discharge effectively the particular duties" of their position. Further, it enjoined the faculty to use "a few key committees" to do much of its work, in such a way as to "provide an adequate measure of faculty participation" in operating the College and yet "permit faculty members to find more time for teaching and investigations."100 The rule established nine standing committees, including two (academic policy and program, and executive) whose six members were elected by the faculty. It committed the faculty "in so far as possible" to use these nine committees to exercise "such responsibilities as the faculty delegates." Elected committee members were chosen for three-year terms and could not be reelected immediately; the president, observing the principle of rotation, appointed all others for one-year terms.101 The rule carefully defined the duties of the nine committees and prescribed procedures designed to insure their accountability to the entire body. Finally, it mandated the election in three years of 100These were not mere idle words. They were the expression of men who knew that most Gettysburg faculty members wanted to participate (indeed, had participated) in a major way in making College policy and in carrying out its program, but who were often puzzled by how to do this and still have the time needed for teaching and scholarly activity. 101 As though to stress that the selection of the two elected committees was a concern of the whole faculty, until 1966 elections were conducted in connection with a faculty meeting. 83