May 10, 1989

LEAD: No other matter has so troubled and divided the commission rewriting New York City's charter as what to do with the borough presidents. Underlying the question is an even more fundamental debate about how New Yorkers perceive themselves and how those perceptions should be accommodated in the structure of municipal government.

LEAD: The dollar ended slightly lower against the mark yesterday after comments by American officials dampened speculation in the United States and in Europe, traders said, of a change in the policies of the Group of Seven industrialized countries.

LEAD: Despite glowing reports of successful multimillion-dollar fund-raising drives, many of the nation's top research universities are having trouble sustaining both advanced research and strong undergraduate liberal arts programs.

LEAD: Taking sides in a battle that has split civil rights leaders, two of the country's most prominent anti-discrimination groups announced today that they would oppose the Bush Administration's nomination of William Lucas to lead the Justice Department's civil rights division.

LEAD: On Friday, the New York City Transit Authority plans to celebrate the final journey of what it says is the last graffiti-covered train. That train, on the C line, will be taken out of service.