HUC COMMITMENT

To the Editors of the CRIMSON:

The HUC is now involved in a discussion which should have a significant impact on our community. There is basic agreement among HUC members concerning those broad concepts endorsed Monday night, which thus far include 1) popular election of student representatives, 2) a student review board for each department to assist in tenure decisions, 3) student participation on faculty-administration committees only when assured of the right to participate in the decision itself, and 4) student-Senior Common Room participation in the nomination of Masters. I sincerely hope that we will be able to realize our goals once our proposals are finalized and completed. The HUC plans to publish its proposals with accompanying reasons, and ask that they be discussed in House and Union meetings.

The CRIMSON report of Monday's meeting left the impression that some members were more interested in radical rhetoric than in results. The HUC is now in the process of establishing a firm commitment to real and responsible student participation in decision-making. We can do this only with a further commitment to following through on our proposals with hard-work and well-reasoned arguments. Neither shallow nor egocentric argumentation will achieve the desired ends; our means must be much more realistic. Maintaining a seriousness of purpose, maturity, diligence, and perseverance is more in keeping with the progress made by student groups thus far. In this way, I believe the HUC will be able to consider in depth the consequences of its actions and act in the best interests of the students and the University. Stephen H. Kaplan   President, Harvard Undergraduate Council