200 Students Rally Against Harberger

More than 200 protesters gathered in the Yard yesterday afternoon to demonstrate against President Bok's offer to Arnold C. Harberger to head the Harvard Institute for International Development (HIID).

Leaders of Students Opposed to Harberger scheduled the rally to coincide with Harberger's planned visit to a graduate economics seminar in Harvard Hall, but Harberger did not come to the seminar.

No Show

Harberger decided earlier this week not to attend the seminar, Lester E. Gordon, director of HIID, said yesterday. Gordon declined to comment on Harberger's reasons for not coming.

Harberger, chairman of the University of Chicago's economics department, was not in Chicago yesterday and could not be reached for comment.

SOH organizers said yesterday Harberger decided not to attend the seminar because he is scared of confronting students opposed to his appointment.

"Harberger got word of our plans and chickened out," Lisa A. Davis '81, who spoke at the rally, said. "Harberger was scared to come, and rightly so, for if he ever tries, we'll kick him off," Davis added.

Archie C. Epps III, dean of students, said yesterday he called SOH members yesterday to inform them Harberger was not coming. "I didn't want them to find out at the last minute," Epps said, adding, "It might have angered them and it also seemed the only fair thing to do."

Students at the rally watched a guerilla theater performance satirizing Bok's views on moral considerations in appointments and listened to speakers who criticized Harberger's role as an adviser to the Chilean military junta.

The theater performance depicted Bok granting positions to characters playing the roles of Harberger, Adolf Hitler and a member of the Ku Klux Klan.