Sage Chapel, built in the center of Cornell University's campus in 1875, was long the site of worship services with speakers paid through the Dean Sage Sermon Fund. In February 1971, however, influenced by the report of the Harrington Committee on the future of Sage Chapel (also known as the Sage Chapel Study Committee, chaired by Professor Clifford Harrington), the University Senate's Subcommittee on Sage Chapel Services considered the possibility of redesignating the Sermon Fund as a Lectureship Fund instead. This change was proposed in order to take into account the broadening in religious pluralism which had occurred on campus since Sage Chapel began operations in the late 19th century. The Subcommittee announced that it would hold a hearing on the future of Sage Chapel services on February 8, 1971. At that time, Richard D. Bausman was a University United Ministry Chaplain and a member of the Sage Chapel Study Committee, and W. Jack Lewis was the director of Cornell United Religious Work.