Debate Tsongas

LAST WEEK Sen. Paul E. Tsongas (D-Mass.) urged universities to sell their South Africa-related investments over a five-year period, and challenged President Bok to debate the issue. We urge Bok to accept the challenge.

Bok has refused to debate the divestiture issue with students for more than the 15 minutes he allotted them at the open meeting sponsored by the Student Assembly. Perhaps he is worried that students may spoil the atmosphere for "reasoned debate" with catcalls and insults. A public discussion with Tsongas, however, would provide Bok an atmosphere more acceptable to him.

So far, the Bok version of public discussion--asking people to "read my letters"--has proven unsatisfactory and evasive. If he is truly committed to promoting reasoned debate on the subject of divestiture, he now had a perfect opportunity to prove it by accepting Tsongas's challenge.