CRR to Reconsider Cases of Students Charged for Littauer Center Takeover

The Committee on Rights and Responsibilities (CRR) voted yesterday to reconsider its June 12 decision concerning five students charged by the Administration with participating in an antiwar occupation of Littauer Center last May.

Glen W. Bowersock '57, professor of Greek and Latin and Chairman of the CRR, said yesterday that the Committee's decision means that at least one student--Ellen Messing '73--will have her case reheard before the CRR.

The five students were allegedly part of a group of 40 who broke into three Government Department offices May 10 and set in for six hours protesting what they called Harvard's role in the Indochina War.

Red Timing

Bowersock said the decision was made in response to a June 13 petition filed by four of the students. The four--Claire King '72, Molly E. Backup '72. Bonnie E. Blustein '72, and Robert O. Mathews '72--charged that the timing of the hearings had violated their rights.

The students maintained that holding the hearings after the end of the academic year prevented them from calling students as witnesses. They added that the hearings were also unfair because two members of the CRR were not present.

The CRR found all the students guilty except Mathews King and Backup were given warnings but permitted to graduate Blustein and Messing were both required to withdraw for one year.

Messing had left Cambridge before being notified by the CRR that charges had been brought against her and consequently failed to appear for her hearing or to sign the petition.

Bowersock said that the reconsideration process will begin with a rehearing of Messing's case. He said he plans to ask both the Administration and Messing to call witnesses and appear before the Committee in accordance with CRR procedural rules.

He said the Committee had not yet contacted both parties and established a date for the hearing.

Messing could not be contacted last night, but Daniel Steiner '54, general counsel to the University, said the Administration will present its evidence at a new hearing. He had no reaction to the Committee's decision.

Bowersock said that following Messing's hearing, the Committee will decide whether to hold new hearings in the other four cases. "A reconsideration does not necessarily imply a rehearing in all cases," he said. "We may find that merely re-examining last year's evidence is sufficient."

Blustein's fate will also be determined by a special Faculty meeting slated for October 3. The meeting was scheduled last June after 92 Faculty members sought a review of her case. She was found guilty by the CRR and required to withdraw for one year thereby denying her a diploma although she had fulfilled all requirements for a degree