Administrators, Students Differ On Rally Impact

One day after the rally sponsored by the Phillips Brooks House Association, Inc. (PBHA), questions remain--both about the future of PBHA and about the rally itself.

The demonstration, held on Thursday in front of University Hall, aimed to express students' disapproval of the University's recent appointment of new Assistant Dean of the College for Public Service Judith H. Kidd.

"It was the largest rally at Harvard in recent times," said PBHA President Vincent Pan '95-'96. "Next time they'll think harder when they want to roll over the student community...we accomplished most of what we wanted to do."

Despite the turnout of 750 participants--significantly lower than the goal of 5,000--Pan said the protest was successful because it was a "big step" for students to overcome their apathy and show up at 1 p.m., which, he said, was an inconvenient time for many to attend.

On Thursday, Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis '68, in an e-mail, called the lower-than-anticipated turnout "at most a fifth of the number expected" and "about half of the number of students claimed as members of PBHA."

"Obviously, he missed the point of the rally," Pan said yesterday. "The emphasis is not on counting heads but on the people who actually came out for two hours, and if he continues to ignore the substance of people's concern, that's an even bigger problem."

"However many students made it [to the rally], they had to give up their prior commitments from the busy schedule Harvard students have. I guess that's something Lewis wasn't willing to do himself," Pan added.

In an e-mail message late last night. Lewis said he could not comment on remarks made at the rally but that he and other administrators had offered many times to meet with student service leaders.

"These invitations have gone out by phone, e-mail and in writing, but they have not been followed up on or usually even acknowledged," Lewis wrote. "I regret this, but to the extent that there is a lack of communication, it is not our fault."

Theda Skocpol, professor of sociology and chair of the committee on public service, said she canceled a prior commitment to attend the rally, which she viewed in its entirety.

"I was there and enjoyed the good spirit. Unlike others, I wasn't playing the numbers game, so I was impressed with the number of people who were there," Skocpol said.

"I didn't see a very clear message at the rally," she added. "I listened very closely, and it's a little odd that a rally about student empowerment had mainly speakers who were in their forties and fifties. I would have enjoyed more student speakers."

Among the speakers at the rally were Robert Coles '50, who told the crowd to "pray for [Lewis'] soul," and Mayor Kenneth E. Reeves '72 who said Lewis had "mooned" Harvard.

"The personal shots to Lewis were cheap, and indicated a lack of better things to say," Skocpol said.

"Students came to reaffirm other students," Undergraduate Council President Robert M. Hyman '98 said. "They reaffirmed student empowerment, and I got a very positive sense of mutual support for a common cause."

The council passed a resolution supporting the rally earlier this week and urged students to attend, according to Hyman, who also spoke at the rally.

"I think that all things considered, with so many people having class and with the weather, at any given point I was impressed by the number of the kids who were there," Hyman said. "Seven hundred and fifty is not 5,000, but it was a pretty good indication of support and affirmation."

But other students expressed confusion regarding the goals of the demonstration.

"I wasn't clear on the issues," said Hadi N. Deeb '99. "I didn't like lending my voice to something I wasn't clear on. For me it was too early to side with [Kidd] or the leaders of the administration."

Another student said the atmosphere of the rally seemed unfocused.

"It didn't seem like a rally in terms of what I thought a rally should be. It didn't seem like a protest but more like a big get-together in the Yard," said Jason E. Schmitt '98.

"The rally was confusing because it was a discussion on the virtue of public service which nobody seems to have a problem with anyway," Schmitt added.

Lewis and Skocpol circulated a letter entitled "Harvard's Commitment to Voluntary Public Service" in dining halls earlier this week. Published as a guest commentary in The Crimson on Wednesday, the three-page letter briefly summarizes the history and present status of PBH as well as outlines the criteria leading to the re-evaluation and subsequent administrative changes.

In an attempt to answer "misleading statements" and "in the spirit of reconciliation and for the sake of clarification," the letter outlined Harvard's commitments. Among them were continued support for the autonomy of public service organizations such as the House and Neighborhood Development (HAND) program. The "modest changes being made now should not disrupt any existing public service activity or program," the letter stated.

"The letter is a generality," said PBHA Treasurer Andrew J. Ehrlich '96. "We've already seen two positions get eliminated. I'd say that's a big change."

"The crux of this debate is where the control for these programs should be." Ehrlich added, "whether it should be from the top down by people solely accountable to the College, or by students, staff, alumni and faculty in the community, all groups that make [community service] happen."

Skocpol said Lewis' absence from the rally was understandable in light of his prior commitments and the lack of a formal invitation.

"Neither one of us were invited to the rally and neither one of us was invited to do a speech," Skocpol said. "Had we been, we would have accepted; at least, I would have...I don't think it's improper that [Lewis] wasn't there. That's not an indication that he isn't serious about this issue, because he has been spending a lot of time with PBH.

"I was there and enjoyed the good spirit. Unlike others, I wasn't playing the numbers game, so I was impressed with the number of people who were there," Skocpol said.

"I didn't see a very clear message at the rally," she added. "I listened very closely, and it's a little odd that a rally about student empowerment had mainly speakers who were in their forties and fifties. I would have enjoyed more student speakers."

Among the speakers at the rally were Robert Coles '50, who told the crowd to "pray for [Lewis'] soul," and Mayor Kenneth E. Reeves '72 who said Lewis had "mooned" Harvard.

"The personal shots to Lewis were cheap, and indicated a lack of better things to say," Skocpol said.

"Students came to reaffirm other students," Undergraduate Council President Robert M. Hyman '98 said. "They reaffirmed student empowerment, and I got a very positive sense of mutual support for a common cause."

The council passed a resolution supporting the rally earlier this week and urged students to attend, according to Hyman, who also spoke at the rally.

"I think that all things considered, with so many people having class and with the weather, at any given point I was impressed by the number of the kids who were there," Hyman said. "Seven hundred and fifty is not 5,000, but it was a pretty good indication of support and affirmation."

But other students expressed confusion regarding the goals of the demonstration.

"I wasn't clear on the issues," said Hadi N. Deeb '99. "I didn't like lending my voice to something I wasn't clear on. For me it was too early to side with [Kidd] or the leaders of the administration."

Another student said the atmosphere of the rally seemed unfocused.

"It didn't seem like a rally in terms of what I thought a rally should be. It didn't seem like a protest but more like a big get-together in the Yard," said Jason E. Schmitt '98.

"The rally was confusing because it was a discussion on the virtue of public service which nobody seems to have a problem with anyway," Schmitt added.

Lewis and Skocpol circulated a letter entitled "Harvard's Commitment to Voluntary Public Service" in dining halls earlier this week. Published as a guest commentary in The Crimson on Wednesday, the three-page letter briefly summarizes the history and present status of PBH as well as outlines the criteria leading to the re-evaluation and subsequent administrative changes.

In an attempt to answer "misleading statements" and "in the spirit of reconciliation and for the sake of clarification," the letter outlined Harvard's commitments. Among them were continued support for the autonomy of public service organizations such as the House and Neighborhood Development (HAND) program. The "modest changes being made now should not disrupt any existing public service activity or program," the letter stated.

"The letter is a generality," said PBHA Treasurer Andrew J. Ehrlich '96. "We've already seen two positions get eliminated. I'd say that's a big change."

"The crux of this debate is where the control for these programs should be." Ehrlich added, "whether it should be from the top down by people solely accountable to the College, or by students, staff, alumni and faculty in the community, all groups that make [community service] happen."

Skocpol said Lewis' absence from the rally was understandable in light of his prior commitments and the lack of a formal invitation.

"Neither one of us were invited to the rally and neither one of us was invited to do a speech," Skocpol said. "Had we been, we would have accepted; at least, I would have...I don't think it's improper that [Lewis] wasn't there. That's not an indication that he isn't serious about this issue, because he has been spending a lot of time with PBH.