GSAS's First Steps

BEFORE HARVARD enters the 21st century, one-third of its current faculty is expected to retire. This turnover presents the University with the perfect opportunity to diversify its faculty. But if there is to be a more diverse faculty, there must be a more diverse pool of scholars from which to choose. Now is the time to broaden the pool of graduate students in order to plan for the future.

In recent years the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) has made strong gains in attracting minority students. Last spring the number of minority applicants jumped almost 20 percent, and the percentage of minorities accepted was greater than for the student body as a whole. In addition, GSAS continues to offer fellowships to all minority students. And GSAS this summer appointed its first Black director of admissions, a sign to potential minority applicants that Harvard is serious about increasing minority presence in the University.

The results of GSAS's efforts, however, will be diminished if minority undergraduates continue to feel there is no permanent place for them higher in the ivory tower. Last spring GSAS began a letter-writing campaign to encourage Harvard minority undergraduates to consider careers in academia. But for many upperclassmen whose post-graduation plans already had been formulated, the letter came too late.

Still, GSAS appears to be moving in the right direction. Which isn't to say Harvard is not being outpaced--dramatically outpaced.

This September Columbia began to implement a new $25 million scholarship program intended to make it easier for minorities to pursue careers in academia. Under the program, the undergraduate debts of Columbia doctorates will be substantially wiped out by the university. Those who receive their Ph.D.s elsewhere will have half their debts paid. Because Columbia is half the size of Harvard, as the dean of Columbia College noted, the gift is the equivalent of $50 million here.

GSAS's efforts will leave Harvard a more diverse institution. But they also highlight a deeper problem. Minority students are underrepresented at all levels of education. That's a problem for society. The goal of diversifying the Harvard faculty and graduate student body cannot be placed on GSAS alone. The College and University must join in the effort.