Coalition Meets With Rudenstine

Calling it a "lukewarm, positive response," members of the recently formed Coalition for Diversity emerged from a meeting with President Neil L. Rudenstine yesterday with a pledge of support, but without concrete plans for administrative action to meet their demands.

Rudenstine called the hour-long Massachusetts Hall discussion a "thoughtful and very constructive conversation," saying it provided him with a deeper understanding of the concerns of the coalition, an alliance of nine minority student groups.

"We talked about how curricula are constructed and how appointment are made," Rudenstine said. "We talked somewhat about the fields that they were interested in and I explained that basically these decisions have to be made by the Faculty and working with the deans."

According to coalition spokesperson Richard Garcia '95, Rudenstine said he would issue a statement supportive of the students' efforts.

"We said what we wanted was an official statement of support...to present to the deans at other meetings," Garcia said. "He told us he would give us a statement."

Garcia said he did not know when Rudenstine would issue the statement, but added that it would probably not come before a series of meetings between the group and top Harvard officials over the next two weeks.

Tomorrow, the coalition will meet with Dean for Undergraduate Education Lawrence Buell, to be followed by a session Thursday with Dean of the Faculty Jeremy R. Knowles and several College administrators.

Next week, Assistant Dean of Students Ellen Hatfield Towne will also meet with the coalition.

Rudenstine has said the coalition's concerns regarding faculty diversity and curricula are issues for Knowles and other members of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS).

But the president said in a telephone interview following yesterday's meeting that he believes the students' academic demands--including those for greater emphasis on ethnic studies--merit serious consideration.

"I myself feel...[that] all parts of the human record, on all aspects of individuals and groups and their history, are important areas of study," Rudenstine said. "While one can't promise anything, one can promise a thoughtful conversation about [the curricular demands] in a way that provides good analysis and looks at the opportunities and the realities, financial and otherwise."

Rudenstine and the students also discussed allegedly racist statements by Thomson Professor of Government Harvey C. Mansfield Jr., linking grade inflation to the increased enrollment of Black students in the late 1960s.

According to Garcia, Rudenstine said several deans are compiling data on factors that may have affected grade inflation.

The president said Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III, who was also present at the meeting, is conducting research into the origins of the trend.

"I suggested that [the debate] was a kind of matter of fact...how easy it is to prove or disprove is another matter, but it seemed to me that it ought to be dealt with," Rudendstine said.

Still, Rudenstine last night again refrained from calling Mansfield's remarks insensitive.

"I think it's just wiser, if one is going to say things, to say them directly to the person," Rudenstine said, adding that he does not have plans to discuss the issue with Mansfield.

Garcia said the coalition members were pleased to have had the opportunity to meet with the president. It marked the group's first meeting with a top Harvard administrator since it formed less than two weeks ago to protest the lack of minority representation on a Junior Parents Weekend panel.

"We're happy with the progress, but satisfied is not exactly the right word," he said. "We will be satisfied when we see that things are really going to be done, that the wheels are turning and that the administration begins to deal with the problem.

Still, Rudenstine last night again refrained from calling Mansfield's remarks insensitive.

"I think it's just wiser, if one is going to say things, to say them directly to the person," Rudenstine said, adding that he does not have plans to discuss the issue with Mansfield.

Garcia said the coalition members were pleased to have had the opportunity to meet with the president. It marked the group's first meeting with a top Harvard administrator since it formed less than two weeks ago to protest the lack of minority representation on a Junior Parents Weekend panel.

"We're happy with the progress, but satisfied is not exactly the right word," he said. "We will be satisfied when we see that things are really going to be done, that the wheels are turning and that the administration begins to deal with the problem.