Harassment Disclosure Order Reversed

A federal judge has overturned a U.S. magistrate's order that would have required Harvard to release detailed accounts of all allegations of sexual harrassment or other sexual discrimination reported to University officials in the past six years.

The new ruling will require Harvard to turn over information about complaints from non-academic employees only.

The order is the result of a sexual discrimination suit brought against the University by former Buildings and Grounds employee Charlotte A. Walters.

U.S. District Court Judge W. Arthur Garrity said the original order was "overbroad," in a short, three-page opinion issued last week. Garrity said complaints from students and academic personnel were not related to Walters lawsuit.

Garrity also narrowed the scope of a similar order concerning reports of assault and battery received by the University to include non-academic staff only.

Walters charges that her male co-workers repeatedly harassed her while she worked for B&G. In one incident, a B&G employee allegedly threw a firecracker at her ear. Her suit also contends that the University did not respond to her complaints against the workers.

Harvard lawyers had asked Garrity to limit the order to complaints originating from B&G employees. Garrity said that approach was

"How restrictive" and that it ignored the basic similarity between Washers' claim and complaints from other non-academic personnel.

Deputy General Counsel Martin Michaelson said yesterday Garrity's decision reduced the invasions of privacy the order will cause. Though the orders don't ask for the names of individual involved in the allegations. University attorneys have said releasing the details of the complaints may indirectly reveal the identities of the people involved.

Walters attorney was not available for comment yesterday.

Harvard will comply with the new order. Michaelson said. He declined to comment on what effect release of the information will have on the lawsuit.

Michaelson refused to speculate how many

University lawyers interviewed yesterday said they were still uncertain whether the court order covered only formal complaints or extended to informal complaints to Harvard officials.

Walters is using the University for $100.000 and is asking for a court order requiring Harvard to adopt a clearer, more detailed procedures for complaints of sexual harassment