OBU Has Open Hearings; Invited Officials Boycott

The Organization for Black Unity (OBU) held public hearings last night before a crowd of 500 on the demands and disciplinary proceedings connected with the December 5 and 11 occupations of University Hall "in an attempt to affirm the fact that black people must formulate their own laws."

None of the Harvard officials invited-Dean May; Archibald Cox, Samuel Williston Professor of Law; L. Gard Wiggins, administrative vice-president of the College; and Archie C. Epps, assistant dean of the College-attended the OBU hearings.

"Apparently, the hearing is part of an effort to disparage the validity of disciplinary proceedings under the Faculty of Arts and Sciences." Wiggins said in a statement released yesterday afternoon.

The statement was supported by May and Cox; Epps sent a separate letter to OBU spokesman Mark D. Smith '72 explaining his reasons for not attending. (For text of letter, see page 2 of today's CRIMSON.)

Wiggins' statement charges that OBU's notification of the hearing-delivered by Smith to Wiggins at 5 p.m. Monday and to May at 2 p.m. yesterday-"came exceedingly late and does not state its source."

"In addition." Wiggins said, "the notice states no ground rules and gives no assurance that there is to be a fair, evenhanded discussion."

"We, too. are given no assurance that our trials [with the Committee on Rights and Responsibilities] would be held under fair circumstances," Smith said at the hearings, which were held in Ames Court Room at the Law School. "We do not believe in the legitimacy of white people to formulate laws for us," he said.

The 36 OBU members charged for their participation in the building occupations have refused to attend the CRR's closed disciplinary hearings. which began Monday.

Smith. serving as prosecuting attorney last night, called six witnesses to the stand. Leroy Boston. counsel for the Boston consulate of the Republic of New Africa-a nationwide black revolutionary organization-acted as judge.

Boston asked each witness three questions: Why have you chosen to appear before this court? Do you feel safe and secure under the discipline of this court? Are you confident that this court will mete out justice?

"It is necessary for black people to begin to write their own laws," Leslie F. Griffin Jr. 70 president of Harvard Afro and one of the witnesses. said. "We have the right to be judged by our peers."

"There is a difference between Harvard law and justice," Griffin said. "We are tried for violating the laws of the CRR: Harvard has violated a higher law. They have not seen fit to hire sufficient numbers of black people."

Administration Absent

At the close of the hearings. Boston called "the defense" -the Harvard Administration-to the stand. "This court will take into consideration their past activities and the fact that these proceedings have been ignored." Boston said when no one came forth.

"We have at this point in time and history presented our case to the world." Boston said. "When a decision is reached. it will be made public at the convenience of this court."

The hearings were conducted solemnly. The crowd of 500. primarily black. remained silent throughout, occasionally breaking into applause-as when 15 black faculty members walked into the court-room together.

At the beginning of the hearing, an American flag was removed from the platform.

"We open these hearings of inquiry into the recent controversy concerning our demand that 20 per cent of Harvard's construction workers be black, and the resulting discipline of students who demonstrated for that demand," Smith said.

The witnesses charged primarily that:

The CRR hearings were invalid-The so-called Committee on Rights and Responsibilities is not impartial. If it were, the summonses which students have received would not have told them that they have already been found guilty. It were, the hearings would not be held behind locked doors and guarded by policemen. "read a recent OBU press statement.

The charges against students were haphazard: several students testified that they had been present at the demonstrations but were not charged: others had been charged for one occupation when they had participated in both. "Harvard is being very selective." Griffin said. "By aiming at the most prominent. they think they can squelch the movement."

The Administration was using the discipline issue to avoid the political issue: the hiring of more black workers. "They have changed their own position innumerable times." Griflin said. "They said they would accept a percentage [of blacks in the Boston area] arrived at by a legitimate organization," he said. "When the organization we recommended said 18-20 per cent. it was no longer legitimate. Now they're going to punish us, and ignore the percentage."

Asked about the line in Epps' letter saying "I am an academic dean and do not think I should try to represent Harvard's position on employment." Griffin said. "I don't believe Brother Epps has the power to make any decision at all."