Bok's Pet Proposal

Last month President Bok called together the presidents of seven eastern colleges to propose a coordinated, intercollegiate scholarship program for black South Africans.

Bok's scholarship program would bring colleges, institutes, foundations and even corporations together in a concerted effort to bring South African blacks to American campuses.

But considering the potential opposition of the South African government and college's tenuous, non-corporate ties to South Africa, how would interested blacks be selected and contacted in their home country?

Although Bok declined to comment on this question, and indeed on the entire program, a representative from the Ford Foundation said Bishop Desmond Tutu, secretary-general of the South African Council of Churches, is organizing a committee to take note of "the needs of black South Africans" and to help develop a scholarship program. President Bok, coincidentally, gave an honorary degree to Tutu last June.

Despite Bok's efforts, Aaron Estis, a member of the Harvard-Radcliffe Black Students Association, says he believes Bok is attempting to save face and to gloss over the Corporation's lack of concern for black South Africans.

President Bok is trying "to show the world he has continuing concern," Estis says, "while his actions and those of the Corporation say otherwise."