Bok Raps Boycott Tactic Used by Law Students

President Bok this week criticized the organizers of a controversial boycott of a Law School course, saying the attempt by the Black Law Students Association (BLSA) to replace a white professor with a minority "was not the best choice of tactics."

In his first public comment on the dispute--which drew national publicity this summer--Bok said in a broad-ranging interview Wednesday that he "would have become somewhat involved" had the Law School acceded to the BLSA's request.

Some law students have backed the boycott of the winter-term class because they say the course--taught by two visiting professors, one of whom is white--could have been used as an opportunity to bring another full-time minority faculty member to the Law School.

"I think if one is really concerned about the appointment of more people of some particular group, the best way to proceed is to come up with very good candidates," Bok said, adding: "We don't yield on the principle that people don't teach courses because of the color of their skin or because of their particular ideological perspective."

'We're not very impressed particularly on matters of principle, by demonstrations that rely on rhetoric or noise or ridicule.'

--President Bok

The BLSA had initially launched the boycott because it objected to the selection of white co-instructor Jack Greenberg, chief counsel of the legal defense of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

Though some boycott organizers had criticized Greenberg's refusal to abandon his NAACP post in favor of a Black attorney, the BLSA has subsequently stressed the need for more minority Law faculty in explaining the boycott.

But Bok said "it was so predictable" that Greenberg's selection would "dominate the news" and overshadow the protestors' broader goals.

During the 45-minute interview, Bok also voiced concern over excessive careerism and segregation among undergraduates, saying he hopes that a new College public service program may help tackle the first problem.

He said he would continue urging House masters to act through "persuasion and encouragement of incentives," to break down any "uncomfortably large proportions of given groups--athletes, preppies or whatever--in one House or another."

At this point, however, he said he does not favor any major change in the freshman housing lottery system that would spread groups more evenly across the Houses, because, he said, "the basic idea of free choice" built into the current preferential lottery system is worthwhile.

"You ought to have a very good reason for putting in another system...which could substantially diminish the free choice of students. I don't see that compelling a case made."

Bok said he believes the House masters "are the first line of defense" against hostile behavior against minority groups.

He explained that he backs a decentralized system because "I don't think a uniform, draconian solution can be imposed on all Houses. That does usually provoke resentment and evasion of various kinds."

On other issues, Bok said:

He feels the new mission he outlined for the University in his Commencement address--increasing informed debate on the nuclear weaponry issue--is being implemented smoothly.

He cited a number of public events scheduled on the subject, including several designed to educate journalist, and apparently good progress on a book on nuclear issues that he has commissioned from five Harvard professors.

He is "reasonably satisfied" that Harvard is presenting an "appropriate deterrent" to professors who sexually harass students.

The fact that Dean of the Faculty Henry Rosovsky "latervenes personally" with professors who have been found to have been found to have harassed students helps make recurrences unlikely, Bok said. He added: "Every faculty member understands that recurring activity...would lead to the most serious consequences."

He said he has not heard of a recent grievance filed against University Health Services (UHS) for its gynecological practices but intends to make inquiries about it.

He said the University plans "intensified recruiting" to combat a drop in the number of Black students who accept Harvard's offer of admission this year. He added that Harvard will heighten communications to allay student fears that Harvard has cut back on its financial aid offerings. "We're not waiting another year to do something," he said.

The following are excerpts of an interview Wednesday with President Bok. The interview was conducted by Crimson reporter Paul A. Engelmayer;

The Law Boycott

Crimson: There have been a couple of incidents on campus where minority groups have used tactics that have drawn some protest. The boycott at the Law School drew some resistance.... What sort of tactics would you prefer to see [used by disgruntled campus groups]?

Bok: I think the most important thing, first of all, is to be clear about what we stand for. The second thing is to try to recognize that this is an educational institution and therefore it's not enough just to make sure that our view prevails but that we try to educate people about why we have those views.

With a minority group that feels a particular pries should not be allowed to teach a particular course...the most important thing is to make sure that we don't yield on the principle that people don't teach courses because of the color of their skin or because of their particular ideological perspective. We choose people to teach is course because of their competence to teach it..

Crimson: A minority group dissatisfied about something--in what manner would you recommend in general that they go about achieving their aim?

Bok: I hesitate to preach to protesting groups how they should make their protest known.... Obviously I would hope they would do it peacefully. I would hope they would also understand that if they're really trying to achieve some change in policy that the people responsible for policy are going to be impressed by argument, not by rhetoric or demonstrations of various kinds.... We're not very impressed, particularly on matters of principle, by demonstrations that rely on rhetoric or noise or ridicule....

Crimson: What about the specific case this summer of the symbolic boycott?

Bok: I certainly kept in touch with it, by talking to Law School Dean Jim Vorenberg about it. The course is certainly proceeding, the instructors are not changed. I would have been concerned--and would have been somewhat involved--if that hadn't been true....

Far be it from me to give advice to people about tactics, but I think if one is really concerned about the appointment of more people of some particular group, the best way to proceed is to come up with very good candidates.

If I had been in their position I do not believe that I would have tried to pursue the end of greater members of minority faculty by at least seeming to take a very different position--which was that profession who weren't minority or who didn't hold a particular point of view shouldn't teach a particular course.

It was so predictable that that issue would dominate the news. If your real objective was something else. I think that was not the best choice of tactics.

Crimson: Some minority groups in the past several years have complained of what they see as a hostile atmosphere towards them. The Gay Students Association has complained of having food thrown at them in dining halls....

Sexual Harassment

Bok: I've discussed that with the masters, too. I would put that in the category of things that I would look to for advice on. There's no question about what we stand for, what our objectives are and if they are being departed from--as they surely are, if people are throwing food at people because of their sexual preferences--I think the masters are the first line of defense.... I think the masters have a lot to contribute in the leadership they demonstrate in convincing people that that type of behavior is unacceptable.

Crimson: Is there anything specific that you would back in terms of trying to lessen that problem?

Bok: I don't know what you mean by specific. If I saw somebody throwing food at someone. I would certainly back talking very seriously to that student and do everything I could to point out the error of his or her ways. But I don't know whether I have a comprehensive program to deal with it.

I believe in a decentralized system in which we have a chance to talk over the problem with the masters. I don't think a uniform, draconian solution, can be imposed on all Houses. That does usually provoke resentment and evasion of various kinds.

Crimson: Last spring the issue of sexual harassment was raised by the case of a freshman woman who alleged that she had been harassed by a visiting professor. What do you feel should happen in cases where that allegation is verified' What steps should Harvard take?

Bok: Oh, I think it's very difficult because that's an area in which everything depends on the facts and circumstances of the case. There are so many degrees, so many ways it can arise....

I think the only general statement I could make is perhaps almost banal, and that's that when a case like that is verified the University must act immediately to make every appropriate effort to ensure that recurrences don't take place.

It's always nice to talk about, why don't we cut off the head of the offender or throw them out...and so forth, but I'm reasonably sure.... that what Henry [Rosovsky, does of the faculty] has does is effective, that recurrences are very unlikely.... Certainly someone who had this problem occur more than once would be in very serious trouble. It's not nice the first time it happens--to be called in and talked to by the dean and some penalty administered and to forth--...every faculty member understands that recurring activity of that sort would lead to the most serious consequences.

Nuclear Investments

Crimson: There's another meeting of the Advisory Committee on Shareholder Responsibility scheduled for later this year to discuss Harvard's investments in some companies that to some degree are linked with the production of nuclear weapons. It's an awfully complex issues...do you have any feelings about that issues?

Bok: My sense is that until I understand exactly what issue is being raised and what the arguments are, it would not be very appropriate to comment...I'd like to hear what comes out of the debate.

Admissions

Crimson: Last year there was a fairly sharp drop in the number of Blacks who opted to come here. The feeling at least among some of the admissions officers was that worries about the availability of financial aid--even though inaccurate--may have deterred some from coming here. What steps is or should Harvard be taking?

Bok:I spoke to Fred [Jewett, dean of admissions and financial aid] about it. We began by conducting a survey of what seemed to be the reason why people didn't come here when they were admitted. Financial reasons do loom more important, and I understood from Fred that he and his staff were going to develop a program, as they always do when a problem emerges in admissions to deal with it I'm sure that it will mean intensified recruiting efforts.

I'm sure one thing they're worried about is communication, especially in an era of Proposition 13 and Proposition 21/2; the money available around the country for school districts is declining and that does mean the chance of misinformation, of the kind you mention, is magnified. So we've got to find a way of making sure that our communications get through to students.

I'm sure if the trend of last year repeats itself then we will have even more serious conversations with Henry and me and the admissions staff and try to devise even more significant steps. In the past, however,... I would say just about all the unfavorable fluctuations have been responded to... and the problem hasn't recurred. We'll have to wait another year to see. But we're not waiting another year to do something