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A SALUTARY INFLUENCE representative on the Athletic Council and one of the staunchest supporters of the athletic program, reported to his colleagues that the American Council on Education had recently adopted a statement on athletic policy which, he concluded, "poses a number of questions even for Gettysburg." At his suggestion, the trustees authorized appointment of a committee "to review present practices and policies of our athletic program as well as the agency which is charged with the responsibility of administering it, to see if they conform with the regulations set up by the Special Committee on Athletic Policy of the American Council on Education." Acting upon the numerous recommendations of their committee, in December 1952 the trustees declared that, "as in all other educational activities, the control of athletics shall be held absolutely and completely by those directly responsible for the administration and operation of the College." Accordingly, the trustees abolished the Athletic Council and replaced it with an eleven- person Advisory Committee on Athletics, consisting of trustees, administrators, faculty, students, and alumni. In stark contrast with those of the body being replaced, its duties were simply to consult with the president and head of the physical education department "in formulating and administering the athletic policies of Gettysburg College." The trustees made the physical education department "directly responsible for the administration of the intercollegiate and intramural program in athletics" and declared that henceforth coaches would be full-fledged faculty members whose entire salaries would "be a charge on the College instructional budget."247 In addition, the trustees specified that the scholarships committee of the faculty would award all financial aid "under the provisions recommended by the Board of Trustees based upon need, scholarship, and character," and that such aid could not be withdrawn, except as a result of failure to meet the conditions under which it was originally awarded. Continued participation in athletics was not one of the conditions. All individuals and groups wishing to support the athletic program were strongly encouraged to make their contributions to the College and allow the money to be spent according to its established rules and regulations. Finally, the board expressed the hope that games might "be scheduled with opponents whose policies and programs are similar to our own" and that a league might be "founded upon these standards."248 247The article in the February 1953 alumni bulletin describing this action gave the impression that the new committee would be performing most of the same tasks as the old council. Obviously, this was not the intention of the new president and the other trustees, nor does it describe what happened. 248During this period the College was a member of the Middle Atlantic States Collegiate Athletic Conference (usually called the Middle Atlantic Conference], the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference, and the National Collegiate Athletic Association. As such it was pledged to obey their rules as well as its own. 94