November 28, 1951.

Miss Helen L. Byers
Univ. Apts. a04
1603 B. 36 St.
Bloomington, Indiana

Dear Us5 Byers:

  Your letter of ?&ember 2!+ raised son15 questions about reaearch
assistantships here. Firstly, the question of your major does not have
to be settled until after you have been here some time, and are ready
to be lTcertifisd~ in your candidacy for the Ph.D. You should apply
for an assistanbahip in the departmsnt or departments in which you
might best do your research. Your applixation for admitta&e to the
Graduate School should be deferred until you have been notified about
the assistantship awards.

The current stipend for 1/2-t&m researoh assistantships is @.I.0
per month, on a 10- or a 120month basis. Work done under theee appoing
menta is not barred in any way from applicration to theses, nor is there
any limitation on academic rgsidence. The nature of the work varies
greatly, especially with the experience and qualifiaationa of the appointee,
but also with the needa of the research pragralu from which the funds
are administered. A mature student generally spends all of his time on
his own research.

  In addition to research assistantships, teaching appointments, of
various types are available in `Zoology and in Genetias. If you would be
interested in these, I suggest you write Professor James F. Crow.

  I should emphasize that there are no procedural difficulties attached
to a formal major in one department, and research in another. These arrange-
ments all have to be worked out individually.

  An interview would not be obligatory, at least OR our part. However,
a visit would enable $0~ to gain a clearer picture of the opportunities
here, and the kind of work going on in various departments. For my part,
the intersemester period the last week in January and the first in Febru-
ary would be the least committed, but you are weloome to call at any time.

Yours sincerely,

    Joshua Ledepberg
Associate Prof esmr of Gene tics