Not-So-Affirmative Actions

The directors of the Kennedy School of Government hadn't expected any turmoil at today's Alumni Day ceremonies. But the announcement Thursday by a leading women's group that it has complained to the Department of Labor that the school has ignored federal affirmative action guidelines made a peaceful gathering today unlikely--and may have imperiled the nearly $100 million the University receives annually in government grants and contracts.

The Women's Equity Action League (WEAL), a 12-year-old nationwide body, accused the school of discrimination in its admissions and hiring policies--pointing to the school's 19.6-per-cent female student body and its absence of tenured female professors, numbers significantly lower than those of similar public policy schools.

Hale Champion, executive dean of the school, countered that the school has offered several faculty posts to women recently, but added that all have turned down the offers for more lucrative posts elsewhere--including one woman, whom he declined to identify, who rejected the post when appointed to "a major position in the federal government."

Champion and Daniel Steiner '54, general counsel to the University, questioned WEAL's figures. Because nine professors have joint appointments with other departments, Steiner said, the true number of K-School professors is 13, not the 22 cited by WEAL.

Steiner also criticized WEAL for expecting any swift turnover in the faculty, since the school can only hire new tenured professors when others leave--as only four have since 1975.

If the Department of Labor's investigation of the charges supports WEAL's claim, the University could forfeit the $98 million it annually receives from the government, funds contingent upon compliance with federal affirmative action statutes.

The K-School could also be "debarred" from receiving its $1.5 million in annual federal stipends.

Until Labor reaches a decision, WEAL and the K-School can do little but wait. The school forwarded its employment information to the department as part of a routine University-wide investigation earlier this year. WEAL's leaders say they're prepared to wait "two or three months" for a verdict, though they pledged to remind investigators repeatedly to "hurry up" their study.