1970-1980

1970

The faculty of FEL include 16 tenured or tenure-track professors and 11 lecturers. This represents an expansion of over one hundred per cent since the mid-1950s.

1960s – 1980s

Harvard University gradually takes over responsibility for funding the Department of FEL / EALC and the Harvard-Yenching Library from the Harvard-Yenching Institute. As late as the mid-1980s, some positions continue to be funded by HYI, and HYI continues to provide substantial support for book purchases by the library to the present day.

1967

Fundraising begins to support a Chair in Vietnamese Studies.

1970-74

Edward Wagner serves as Chair of FEL / EALC.

1971-72

Vietnamese language first taught at Harvard by Alexander Woodside, the first holder of the newly formed Kenneth T. Young Professorship of Sino-Vietnamese History. Woodside’s primary affiliation is with the History department, but his is cross-listed in FEL / EALC.

1971-80

Substantial decline in this period in the amount of graduate student funding supplied by FLAS, NDLF, and Fulbright. The Council on East Asian Studies is created to address the problem of fundraising.

1972, Feb. 22

FEL renamed EALC

Permanent members of the faculty of FEL vote unanimously to change the name of the department from Far Eastern Languages to East Asian Languages and Civilizations.

1972, April 11

Significant changes to the organization and nomenclature of East Asian fields of study authorized by vote of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Council on East Asian Studies, with John K. Fairbank as first chair, created to supervise interdepartmental committees concerned with East Asian Studies. Undergraduate concentration in East Asian Studies created and overseen by an inter-departmental committee chaired by Ezra Vogel. Ph.D. in History and Far Eastern Languages renamed History and East Asian Languages.

1974-77

Patrick Hanan serves as Chair of EALC.

1976

The Harvard-Yenching Library is placed under the direct administration of Harvard University and integrated into the University library system. Its rare books collection remains the property of HYI.

1977-81

Donald Shively serves as Chair of EALC.