Spotlight on Rosovsky

It was an opportunity to act out a favorite academic fantasy: an hour-and-a-half to interrogate Dean Rosovsky on the touchy topic of how he runs the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.

And so on Wednesday night, Rosovsky surfaced to answer student questions at a forum sponsored by the Student Assembly. And the author of the Core Curriculum held his own against some pretty heavy questioning.

Rosovsky drew the most fire over the University's actions toward the Afro-American Studies Department, which now includes only one tenured professor.

Rosovsky said he has made seven efforts to get faculty to accept tenure or get the University to offer tenure in the department.

The audience also raised the issue of student government and Rosovsky described at some length his opinions concerning the proper role of students. Although Rosovsky said he will listen to their opinions, he told the audience of 45 he draws the line when it comes to appointments, discipline and the budget.

The dean also recalled his celebrated comment in last month's New Yorker, when he asserted that "Harvard is mine." Rosovsky reminded students that "You are here for four years, I am here for life, and the institution is here forever."