Law Student Groups Demand Clark Resign

Nine Law School student organizations yesterday called for Dean Robert C. Clark to resign, charging he is insensitive toward minorities and women.

Students said Clark has failed to respond adequately to the lack of diversity in the Law School faculty and to the misogyny and racism in recent Harvard Law Review parody.

"We regret that Dean Clark has not only failed to demonstrate campus leadership, he is no longer capable of doing so," said the leaders of the nine groups in a prepared statement. "We call upon Robert Clark to resign as Dean of Harvard Law School."

The student also faulted Clark for prosecuting the 13 members of the Coalition for Civil Rights who participated in two recent sit-ins because they are minorities or women or both, according to the statement. The students also criticized Clark for stationing armed police officers outside his Griswold Hall office.

"All these conditions reveal a bunker mentality in the Law School administration, reminiscent of the attitude of the White Housing during the last days of President Richard Nixon's crumbling administration," second year law student Claudia T. Salomon said at a noon press conference yesterday.

The nine student organizations calling for Clark's resignation include theCoalition for Civil Rights and the Harvard LaborLaw Project.

Clark refused to comment on the student'sdemand. Instead, he issued a statement severelycriticizing the recent Review spoof.

"There is no disagreement among faculty andstudents that the so-called parody published bythe Harvard law Review is offensive anddeplorable," Clark said. "I cannot condemn itstrongly enough."

The Review included a parody of aposthumously published article by feminist legalscholar Mary Joe Frug. Other articles ridiculedCharles J. Ogletree Jr. and David B. Wilkins, twotenure-track Black professors, and attacked AnitaHill and Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas"with racially stereotypical comments about thesize of his genitalia," according to students.

Peter M. Cicchiano, president of the Committeeon Gay, Bisexual and Lesbian Legal Issues, said hethought the dean could have both opposed thearticles more vehemently and met with third-yearCraig B. Coben and Ken Fenyo, the Reviewmembers who have publicly apologized for writingthe Frug piece.

Students said they were compelled to call forClark's resignation because they do not believeconditions at the Law School are improving. Theypointed to the Review spoof and theappointment this past year of five white men tofaculty posts.

"Regrettably the current conditions at HarvardLaw School are beginning to resemble a Deep Southlunch counter," the students' statements said.

The students also protested the upcomingAdministrative Board hearings of the 13 studentswho participated in silent sit-ins in the officesof Clark and Carter Professor of GeneralJurisprudence Charles Fried.

"Dean Clark's selective prosecution of thesestudents, another form of violence against womenand minorities, borders on racism and sexism," thestudents said.

The students also criticized Clark's record,citing the closing of the Public InterestPlacement Office which provided assistance tostudents interested in helping women andminorities.

Student leaders yesterday claimed broad-basedsupport for their agenda. At least 50 percent ofthe student body is connected with the coalition,said Ronald L. Sullivan, president of the BlackLaw Students' Association and a member of thecoalition

Clark refused to comment on the student'sdemand. Instead, he issued a statement severelycriticizing the recent Review spoof.

"There is no disagreement among faculty andstudents that the so-called parody published bythe Harvard law Review is offensive anddeplorable," Clark said. "I cannot condemn itstrongly enough."

The Review included a parody of aposthumously published article by feminist legalscholar Mary Joe Frug. Other articles ridiculedCharles J. Ogletree Jr. and David B. Wilkins, twotenure-track Black professors, and attacked AnitaHill and Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas"with racially stereotypical comments about thesize of his genitalia," according to students.

Peter M. Cicchiano, president of the Committeeon Gay, Bisexual and Lesbian Legal Issues, said hethought the dean could have both opposed thearticles more vehemently and met with third-yearCraig B. Coben and Ken Fenyo, the Reviewmembers who have publicly apologized for writingthe Frug piece.

Students said they were compelled to call forClark's resignation because they do not believeconditions at the Law School are improving. Theypointed to the Review spoof and theappointment this past year of five white men tofaculty posts.

"Regrettably the current conditions at HarvardLaw School are beginning to resemble a Deep Southlunch counter," the students' statements said.

The students also protested the upcomingAdministrative Board hearings of the 13 studentswho participated in silent sit-ins in the officesof Clark and Carter Professor of GeneralJurisprudence Charles Fried.

"Dean Clark's selective prosecution of thesestudents, another form of violence against womenand minorities, borders on racism and sexism," thestudents said.

The students also criticized Clark's record,citing the closing of the Public InterestPlacement Office which provided assistance tostudents interested in helping women andminorities.

Student leaders yesterday claimed broad-basedsupport for their agenda. At least 50 percent ofthe student body is connected with the coalition,said Ronald L. Sullivan, president of the BlackLaw Students' Association and a member of thecoalition