Plan to Reduce Afro-Am to a Committee Creates Controversy Among the Faculty

An Afro-American Studies Visiting Committee's second visit to Harvard in two months has sparked controversy within the department because the committee will probably recommend changes in the status of Afro-American Studies, a source in the department said yesterday.

The source added that the chairman of the visiting committee is committed to downgrading the department into a program. Although the committee has visited Harvard twice, it has not formally met with the departmental professors. One professor in the department said that he feels the whole process of the committee is "shrouded in mystery."

Ewart Guinier '33, professor of Afro-American Studies, said last week that he didn't recognize anyone on the visiting committee "whose academic training was in Afro-American Studies, or whose work was in Afro-American Studies."

Controversy has surrounded the status of the department for several years.

Guinier said last week Dean Rosovsky is one of the most important administrators who oppose the continued existence of the department.

"The procedures that Rosovsky has been following to weaken the department are one, to deny tenure to Ephraim Isaac on the sole basis that he's an Africanist, and two, to insist that only joint appointees receive tenure," Guinier said.

The Afro-American Studies department nominated Isaac for tenure in 1971. Isaac said at the time that the ad hoc committee that reviewed his application did not know anything about his field of specialization, pan-Africanism. Isaac left Harvard in 1977 when his contract as associate professor expired.

Guinier said these actions show President Bok's and Dean Rosovsky's refusal to accept the fact that "Afro-American Studies is a unique discipline, an interdisciplinary examination of the black experience in Africa and America from the point of view of the people who lived that experience."

"If one doesn't understand that, he should have absolutely nothing to do with Afro-American Studies because only pervert it," Guinier added.

Rosovsky said yesterday all of Guinier's charges were "quite nonsensical and absolutely without foundation. They've all been made before."

Guinier added University personnel are discouraging students from majoring in Afro-American Studies. "I get reports where freshman advisors tried to steer students away from majoring in Afro-American Studies or even taking courses" in the department, he said.

Students within the department said that they are also bothered by the University's attitude toward Afro-American Studies. Louis E. Bird '80, an Afro-American Studies concentrator, said last week, "The reason that Afro is on the brink is that the University sees Afro as a thorn in its side."

No Leadership

Bird did not place all of the blame on the administration, however. "There is a lack of leadership in the department," he added.

Guinier said that the lack of Afro-American Studies courses in the proposed Core Curriculum "shows that the Core Curriculum is nothing but a publicity stunt for the fund drive the Faculty of Arts and Science will be starting next year."

Rosovsky said he believes Guinier's accusation about the Core "is without foundation."

Armed

Guinier added that Harvard "isn't preparing students to live in a world where four-fifths of the people are non-white."

The visiting committee is scheduled to return later in the semester to present its written evaluation of the department. A committee of concentrators is also preparing a report of its own to try to "influence the visiting committee to see the department in a different manner than the Harvard Corporation sees it," Aaron A. Estis '80, an Afro-American Studies concentrator, said last week.

Rosovsky said yesterday all of Guinier's charges were "quite nonsensical and absolutely without foundation. They've all been made before."

Guinier added University personnel are discouraging students from majoring in Afro-American Studies. "I get reports where freshman advisors tried to steer students away from majoring in Afro-American Studies or even taking courses" in the department, he said.

Students within the department said that they are also bothered by the University's attitude toward Afro-American Studies. Louis E. Bird '80, an Afro-American Studies concentrator, said last week, "The reason that Afro is on the brink is that the University sees Afro as a thorn in its side."

No Leadership

Bird did not place all of the blame on the administration, however. "There is a lack of leadership in the department," he added.

Guinier said that the lack of Afro-American Studies courses in the proposed Core Curriculum "shows that the Core Curriculum is nothing but a publicity stunt for the fund drive the Faculty of Arts and Science will be starting next year."

Rosovsky said he believes Guinier's accusation about the Core "is without foundation."

Armed

Guinier added that Harvard "isn't preparing students to live in a world where four-fifths of the people are non-white."

The visiting committee is scheduled to return later in the semester to present its written evaluation of the department. A committee of concentrators is also preparing a report of its own to try to "influence the visiting committee to see the department in a different manner than the Harvard Corporation sees it," Aaron A. Estis '80, an Afro-American Studies concentrator, said last week.