Epps Called 'Insensitive'

Two student leaders of the Harvard-Radcliffe Asian American Association (AAA) are alleging that Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III has failed in his role as campus race relations czar and has been insensitive to Asian Americans on campus.

In a letter to top Harvard administrators and the editors of The Crimson, AAA Co-Presidents Joan R. Cheng '95 and Haewon Hwang '95 requested a meeting next fall with Epps and other administrators to discuss their concerns over Epps' performance. (See letter, page 2).

Epps, who was named last summer to oversee the College's race relations policy, defended his record. He called the letter "irresponsible" and said in an interview that the letter was "full of unsubstantiated smears."

Hwang said the students briefly discussed their grievances and the idea of a letter with S. Allen Counter, director of the Harvard Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations.

"I think that Dr. Counter basically said if we had any problems or anything race related, he felt we should have our right to express ourselves, Hwang said. "He didn't actually suggest it."

Hwang said Counter did not discuss with the students the possibility of contacting Epps regarding the concerns.

Counter could not be reached for comment last night. Epps would not comment on his relationship with Counter.

The AAA letter included a catalog of complaints against Epps, ranging from his alleged failure to involve students in decision-making to his alleged "Lack of any true concern" for AAA.

The students criticized the recently released "Handbook on Race Relations," published by Epps' office. They also said the doubted the potential of a soon to be released report by an independent firm commissioned by Epps to evaluate campus race relations.

The letter also complained that Epps failed to support AAA's protest of the initial omission of an Asian American representative on three Junior Parents Weekend race relations panels.

And the students alleged that Epps made insensitive remarks to Asian American students and to a visiting Japanese American theater company director.

The director disputed that claim, saying. "It was a very minor incident."

The students also said Epps "consistently offended Asian American students" by greeting them in East Asian languages.

Epps strongly denied the students' claims. "Being not sensitive to people of different races would be the last thing that was true of me," he said. "I was very surprised by the letter and it doesn't represent my approach to Asian issues. I think it distorts very much the record."

The dean said he met with leaders of AAA "quite a number of times" over the last year and addressed the group as a whole in the fall. He defended the "Handbook on Race Relations" and said he was "surprised" that the students dismissed the Negotiation Project's report without having seen it.

Epps said he did not remember specific incidents of addressing students in foreign languages. "I do know smatterings of languages," he said. "I think that [greeting students in other languages] is not a habit of mine."

The students said they did not think Epps was intentionally insensitive. "He thinks by greeting us in a language he's connecting with us on some level. But it's just more insulting because it seems like a lack of respect," Cheng said. "You wouldn't do that to every Black student, try to speak to him in jive. Why should you try to greet Asian students in various Asian languages?"

Epps defended his overall record as race relations czar.

"On the year overall, I think [the work this year has] been positive. I've been satisfied that there is movement on a number of the major issues," Epps said. "I think the major accomplishment has been to provide an environment in which there are lots of discussions between administrative officers and students concerned with the whole range of issues."

The dean of students said he will likely reply to the letter in writing.

Dean of the Faculty Jeremy R. Knowles said he received the letter but declined to comment on it

The students also said Epps "consistently offended Asian American students" by greeting them in East Asian languages.

Epps strongly denied the students' claims. "Being not sensitive to people of different races would be the last thing that was true of me," he said. "I was very surprised by the letter and it doesn't represent my approach to Asian issues. I think it distorts very much the record."

The dean said he met with leaders of AAA "quite a number of times" over the last year and addressed the group as a whole in the fall. He defended the "Handbook on Race Relations" and said he was "surprised" that the students dismissed the Negotiation Project's report without having seen it.

Epps said he did not remember specific incidents of addressing students in foreign languages. "I do know smatterings of languages," he said. "I think that [greeting students in other languages] is not a habit of mine."

The students said they did not think Epps was intentionally insensitive. "He thinks by greeting us in a language he's connecting with us on some level. But it's just more insulting because it seems like a lack of respect," Cheng said. "You wouldn't do that to every Black student, try to speak to him in jive. Why should you try to greet Asian students in various Asian languages?"

Epps defended his overall record as race relations czar.

"On the year overall, I think [the work this year has] been positive. I've been satisfied that there is movement on a number of the major issues," Epps said. "I think the major accomplishment has been to provide an environment in which there are lots of discussions between administrative officers and students concerned with the whole range of issues."

The dean of students said he will likely reply to the letter in writing.

Dean of the Faculty Jeremy R. Knowles said he received the letter but declined to comment on it