Keeping Track

The ever-controversial Professor of Law Alan M. Dershowitz has become embroiled in another spat--this time with a Wall Street Journal reporter who wrote a story alleging wide-spread student dissatisfaction with his teaching.

Dershowitz this week accused the author of attempting to "fit the facts to his story" when he wrote that "many" students complained about an incident when the professor played a tape recording for his first year criminal law class. The implication was that Dershowitz neglected his teaching responsibilities while preparing the appeal of Klaus von Bulow's murder conviction.

In a letter last week responding to the March I Journal article. Dershowitz rebutted the "general criticism" of his instruction, citing favorable ratings he has received in recent student evaluations.

The author of the Journal article, James Stewart, this week refused to disclose the number of students he interviewed but said, "I am entirely satisfied that the member of interviews justifies the statements in the story." The article was about law professors who also handle outside cases.

Dershowitz also drew fire in several letters to the Globe recently for his suggestion that newspapers print the names of the rape victims when covering rape trials. * * *

It's trophy time for three Harvard names... Associate Professor of Sociology Paul E. Starr dropped by Columbia University last week to pick up this year's coveted Bancroft Prize.

The prize--for books of exceptional distinction in history, diplomacy, and international relations--went to Starr for The Social Transformation of American Medicine, his study of the medical profession and health services in the United States.

"It's a great award to win," said Starr this week. "It's the first time it's been awarded to a sociologist. I am very pleased to have won an award from another field."

The prize carries a $4.000 cash award.

President Bok has also traveled on the award circuit, picking up the first C. Clyde Ferguson Award. Bok won the award--named after the prominent Black law professor who died last year--for his "extraordinary effort and significant contribution toward enhancing the diversity of the students, faculty, and staff of Harvard University."

Finally, Harvard announced this week that Associate Professor of Economics Andrew B. Abel won the 1984 "Graduates Award for Good Teaching in Economics." The $5.000 award was established nine years ago by Warburg Professor of Economics Emeritus John Kenneth Galbraith to encourage good teaching for graduate students.

A committee of five several year graduate students selected Abel was unreachable for comment this week. The runners-up for the award were Associate Professor of Economics William Lazonick and Professor of Economics Andrew Mas-Colell.

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...on the fashion beat... President Bok was seen this week posing in the Yard for the high-style men's fashion magazine M. At first glance it seemed surprising that flannel suits and wing tips were considered trend setting.

Actually, Bok had given the magazine a brief interview for a story on Boston in an upcoming issue. Bok's views, on Harvard's place in the city will accompany insights by Gov. Michael S. Dukakis, Mayor Raymond L. Flynn, and former Mayor Kevin M. White.

...While Bok made waves in fashion circles, his soon-to-be top lieutenant was creating ripples of a different type. Boston magazine published an article this week recoiling survey it ran in 1979, which labelled A. Michael Spence as one of the sexiest professors at Harvard.

Here's what the magazine quoted students as saying about Spence, who will became dean of the Faculty in July. "Young, brilliant, and handsome." "A dashing thirst for life. Makes economics almost exciting. Sexy in a vibrant, intellectual way." "Almost grotesquely sexy in a subtle fashion."

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On the lecture circuit this month... A. Leon judge of the U.S. Third-Circuit Court of Appeal, will open the 1984 W.E.B. DuBois Lectures on April 9 in Boylston Auditorium. The five-part lecture series, which will conclude in October, will cover "The Legitimization of Racism". . mean while tonight the Saudi Arabian Ambassador to the United Status. Prince Bandar Bin Sultan, the Kennedy School Forum on "Peace in the Middle East."