Racist Prank Calls Plague Students

An anonymous caller or callers have placed a rash of harassing phone calls, many involving anti-Asian statements, to students during the past week.

Lt. Lawrence J. Murphy of the Harvard University Police Department said yesterday he has received 15 reports of such calls in the past few days--some from non-Asian students.

"We're reassuring the students who call us that the calls weren't particularly directed at one group of students, because the calls are going to everybody," he said.

Murphy also said that many of the calls, which also occurred last fall, included general comments as well as those that insulted Asians.

But the problem may be on a larger scale and may be more racially based than Murphy indicated. The Crimson interviewed a number of students yesterday who had received the calls, all of whom said they have not contacted the police.

All of the students interviewed independently told The Crimson that they had heard the same words over the phone--"Fuck you, Korean bitch."

Asian American Association Co-President Constance I. Chang '94, however, said she has not heard about the calls and has no plans to address the issue.

Murphy said he is working hard to find the source of the calls, as they have inconvenienced and frightened many students.

"The students have been concerned because the calls come all day and all night, so they are unable to sleep," Murphy said. "It's been a big nuisance and pain."

Lynn D. Lu '93, an Adams House resident, said she first received the calls on Wednesday and consulted with friends who received similar phone calls.

Lu said that while she and one of her roommates are Chinese, she knows of a number of non-Asian students who have received the same calls.

Dunster House resident Elizabeth D. Burkard '93 said she has received about six calls for each of the past three days from 5 a.m. to nighttime.

Burkard said she is especially concerned because many of her roommates and blockmates, none of whom are Asian, have received the calls on their private lines--even though thenumbers are not close numerically.

"Somehow the caller knows we are roommates,"said Burkard, who is now screening all of hercalls on an answering machine.

Burkard said she has not yet reported therecent series of calls, but received the samecalls before vacation and reported them to theHarvard police.

Murphy said he has been working on the earlierseries of calls from before the winter holidays.He said the department has tracked some of thephone calls to international lines.

Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III saidThursday that if any other students receive racialslurs over the phone, they should contact Harvardpolice or the office of the dean of students

"Somehow the caller knows we are roommates,"said Burkard, who is now screening all of hercalls on an answering machine.

Burkard said she has not yet reported therecent series of calls, but received the samecalls before vacation and reported them to theHarvard police.

Murphy said he has been working on the earlierseries of calls from before the winter holidays.He said the department has tracked some of thephone calls to international lines.

Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III saidThursday that if any other students receive racialslurs over the phone, they should contact Harvardpolice or the office of the dean of students