Tutors' Letter Calls Sit-in Unacceptable

(The following paragraphs are excerpted from the letters which Senior Tutors sent to students who participated in the Dow demonstration.)

The University takes the position that free movement of individuals is an essential and inseparable aspect of the free movement of ideas. To stage entirely peaceful and non-disruptive protests against individual comings and goings, either against individuals as such or as symbols of disapproved activities or organizations, is an aspect of the freedom of students and citizens; to obstruct such individuals and interfere with their movement or their discussions, is an unjustified interference with their freedom, with that of the University, and that of students and faculty who wish to converse with them or to hear them. Most students, including many who engaged in the sit-in against the Dow Cemical representative, do recognize this. To them and to others, the University wants to make clear by this letter that it will not tolerate infringement on the right of movement, no matter what numbers of students may be involved (or involve themselves) nor what the morality invoked in support of such infringement.

If our society has a future, so does this University, and it must conduct its affairs on the assumption that procedures outlive individuals, no matter how grave and deserving of respect are the passions that presently involve many of us in this community. Correspondingly, this letter is intended to tell you as an individual that henceforth any interference with an individual's rights of movement will be viewed as a matter of extreme gravity. Subsequent disciplinary action would reflect the University's judgment that your conduct had been disruptive of its basic procedures and freedoms, irrespective of whatever legal penalties might also be hazarded by your conduct for violation of the laws of the land. Contrary to what has some-times been argued, this is not double jeopardy, but a reflection of the fact that you are both a student and a citizen and have responsibilities as well as rights in both capacities: Harvard is an educational institution and its disciplinary procedures are an ancillary if necessary by-product. We want you to be fully aware of our grave view of this situation, and if this letter does not make this wholly clear to you, please come in and talk with me.