There's Still Time

There has been a strongly favorable response to the petition asking an advisory referendum on Harvard's policy toward grades and the draft. This response constitutes a virtual mandate to hold the referendum. The questions remaining are "when" and "how?"

There is still time to hold at least a preliminary referendum this year on the question of supplying class rank information for draft purposes. Mimeographed ballots could be in the dining halls by Monday or Tuesday, before most students left Cambridge. There is every reason to seize this opportunity. Seniors, who will be most affected by the administration's final decision, will not be able to vote next fall. They should have a chance to express their opinion now. Even more importantly, the Administration must send out either rank lists or an explanatory letter to students or local boards this summer. An orderly polling of student sentiment should precede decision on this matter.

Who should hold the referendum? The Administration, afraid perhaps of being implicitly bound by the outcome, has refused to sponsor the poll, though it does not object to the vote's taking place. The political organizations, such as SDS, are understandably reluctant to organize the referendum, fearing students will construe the whole thing as a propaganda stunt. This leaves the Harvard Undergraduate Council, which is politically neutral, independent of official Harvard, and experienced in matters of this sort. The HUC should move immediately to execute the mandate of this week's petition.