Epps on Afro-Am

To the Editors of The Crimson:

There are many issues associated with Afro-American Studies at Harvard but black and Jewish relations is not one of them. Cedric Vessell's letter (Harvard Crimson, September 27) about Dean Rosovsky's speech at the Hillel convocation seeks to draw a connection between Rosovsky's positive assessment of the Jewish presence at Harvard, his support of Jewish studies, and what is seen as a weak Afro-American Studies Department. Vessell also implies that to be against racial quotas in admissions is to be opposed to increased black enrollment at Harvard, which, of course, is an oversimplification. But most disturbing is the clear inference in the letter that Rosovsky's actions as Dean of the Faculty in connection with the department are to be questioned because he is Jewish. I suspect this charge is in part prompted by the current public debate about blacks and Jews. The debate points to an undercurrent of strained relations between the two groups that is just being addressed, I am afraid too often in unconstructive ways. Vessell's letter certainly does not help the situation. Archie C. Epps III, dean of Students