Commencement's Article Is Corrected

In June 1972, in the Commencement issue, The Crimson published an article by Arthur Lubow entitled "How Do I Get Tenure at Harvard?" This article, which sought to examine the appointment and promotion procedures in the University, suggested that these procedures are unduly influenced by considerations of political preference and personal affinity and offered as one evidence of that contention the appointment of Patrice Higonnet as professor of History. According to Mr. Lubow, Professor Higonnet owed his promotion, among other things, to the support of Professor David Landes, who was allegedly influenced in this matter by services allegedly rendered him by Professor Higonnet's father, who, the article stated, had helped Professor Landes obtain access to French archives.

This allegation was untrue: Mr. Higonnet pere had not rendered Professor Landes this or any other service, in any connection. The article thus defamed Professor Landes by implying that his actions were so improperly influenced, and maligned Professor Higonnet by implying that his professional recognition was, in part, attributable to such influence. The Crimson, on complaint by Professor Landes, removed the Commencement issue from the stands and published a retraction in its issue of December 19, 1972, along with a rectificatory statement by Professor Landes, which was then mailed to seniors of the Class of 1972 and Commencement guests of that year.

The matter might and would have ended there. But in March, 1973, some of the editors republished the libel by submitting the article for the Dana Reed prize. Not surprisingly this republication aroused Professors Landes' and Higonnet's indignation and outrage. The Crimson and Arthur Lubow recognize that this indignation and this outrage are justified and would like now to make amends by apologizing for that allegation of improper motivation and influence. We also reassert, as the original article stated, that there are positive aspects of the Harvard appointment procedure which help provide this University with a distinguished faculty.

Finally, we should like to say that we, as much as Professors Landes and Higonnet, have an interest in righting this wrong, first because of our professional obligation as journalists to truth and secondly because of our commitment to decency. The reputation of The Crimson and its reporters rests at all times on the accuracy of our reporting and thoroughness of our research. Nowhere, moreover, is such accuracy more imperative than when making critical and potentially harmful allegations regarding persons.