Officials Deny Guinier Will Join HLS Faculty

The Boston Globe reported yesterday that C. Lani Guinier '71, the controversial legal scholar whose federal civil-rights attorney nomination was derailed by conservatives in 1993, is "on the brink" of joining the Harvard Law School faculty.

But both Harvard Law School and the University of Pennylvania Law School--where Guinier is a professor--denied that she is planning to teach at Harvard, either as a visiting or permanent professor.

"The Law School's had a longstanding offer out to her for a visiting professorship spot, but we've received no word from her that she's taking it," said Michael J. Chmura, the law school's news director.

"This is all the Boston Globe," Chmura said. "She has not accepted our offer."

Barbara Beck, news director for the Penn law school said Guinier, who was Harvard-Radcliffe's Class Day speaker in 1994, has no plans to leave.

"She has had an ongoing relationship with Harvard, and Yale and Michigan wanted her to come," Beck said. "But right now, she's planning to teach at Penn in September."

"She hasn't announced any plans to leave," Beck added.

Guinier took a sabbatical from Penn this academic year, was travelling in Columbia, Mo. and could not be reached for comment yesterday.

She is scheduled to speak at an engagement in Shreveport, La., today.

President Clinton nominated Guinier to the post of assistant attorney general for civil rights in 1993, but withdrew the nomination weeks later amid criticism of Guinier's views from members of Congress.

Guinier was characterized in the media as a "quota queen" for her views on minority voting rights. In fact, she has written in support of proportional voting, used in some communities in the South, an alternative voting method designed to increase minority representation in governmentposts.

The Law School invited Guinier to serve as avisiting professor for a semester or a year priorto her failed nomination, Chmura said.

Professor of Law Charles J. Ogletree, Jr. saidhe spoke with Guinier yesterday.

"She hasn't made [a decision]. She is veryhappy with her job at Penn, but very interested incoming to Harvard," Ogletree said last night. "Butshe's still undecided."

"We hope to convince her toocome and hopeshe'll come as soon as possible. Those of us whoare fans of Lani's hope that it will be in the notto distant future," Ogletree said.

The Globe reported that Guinier is close toaccepting a visiting professorship "and then,assuming faculty approval, a permanent position."

But Chmura countered the statement. "Ingeneral, there is not a direct connection betweena visiting and a permanent appointment," he said.

Between 12 and 20 professors visit the LawSchool each year, but only "two to five newprofessors" are hired, according to Chmura. Tenuremust be approved by the Law School's facultyappointments committee and is notoriouslydifficult.

For instance, renowned feminist theoristCatherine MacKinnon was not granted tenure. Shenow teaches at the University of Michigan LawSchool.

Law School Dean Robert C. Clark, who heads thefaculty appointments committee, did not returnmessages yesterday, nor did Assistant AttorneyGeneral for Civil Rights Deval L. Patrick '78,whom Clinton named to the post following Guinier'snomination.

Law School Lecturer A. Leon Higginbotham Jr., afriend of Guinier and public service professor ofjurisprudence at the Kennedy School of Government,said he did not know of Guinier's future plans.

"She is a superb scholar and would be in thehighest traditions of Harvard Law School," saidHigginbotham, who taught at the Penn law schoolbefore coming to Harvard in 1993.

"She was highly respected by her students andher colleagues," Higginbotham added.

Higginbotham refused to say whether Guinier hasindicated an intent to accept Harvard'sinvitation, which still stands, or whether he hadadvised Guinier to come.

"I understand she was made an offer to visitand I don't know whether she accepted the positionor not," said Bruce Nichols, the book editor ofGuinier's 1994 work "The Tyranny of the Majority,"in an interview last night.

Guinier has long ties to Harvard. Her father,Ewart Guinier, was the first chair of Harvard'sAfro-American Studies Department.

She attended Yale Law School after graduatingfrom Radcliffe and received tenure at Penn shortlybefore her nomination to the Justice Departmentpost.

Guinier's mother, Eugenia Guinier, did notreturn messages left at her Cambridge residenceyesterday

The Law School invited Guinier to serve as avisiting professor for a semester or a year priorto her failed nomination, Chmura said.

Professor of Law Charles J. Ogletree, Jr. saidhe spoke with Guinier yesterday.

"She hasn't made [a decision]. She is veryhappy with her job at Penn, but very interested incoming to Harvard," Ogletree said last night. "Butshe's still undecided."

"We hope to convince her toocome and hopeshe'll come as soon as possible. Those of us whoare fans of Lani's hope that it will be in the notto distant future," Ogletree said.

The Globe reported that Guinier is close toaccepting a visiting professorship "and then,assuming faculty approval, a permanent position."

But Chmura countered the statement. "Ingeneral, there is not a direct connection betweena visiting and a permanent appointment," he said.

Between 12 and 20 professors visit the LawSchool each year, but only "two to five newprofessors" are hired, according to Chmura. Tenuremust be approved by the Law School's facultyappointments committee and is notoriouslydifficult.

For instance, renowned feminist theoristCatherine MacKinnon was not granted tenure. Shenow teaches at the University of Michigan LawSchool.

Law School Dean Robert C. Clark, who heads thefaculty appointments committee, did not returnmessages yesterday, nor did Assistant AttorneyGeneral for Civil Rights Deval L. Patrick '78,whom Clinton named to the post following Guinier'snomination.

Law School Lecturer A. Leon Higginbotham Jr., afriend of Guinier and public service professor ofjurisprudence at the Kennedy School of Government,said he did not know of Guinier's future plans.

"She is a superb scholar and would be in thehighest traditions of Harvard Law School," saidHigginbotham, who taught at the Penn law schoolbefore coming to Harvard in 1993.

"She was highly respected by her students andher colleagues," Higginbotham added.

Higginbotham refused to say whether Guinier hasindicated an intent to accept Harvard'sinvitation, which still stands, or whether he hadadvised Guinier to come.

"I understand she was made an offer to visitand I don't know whether she accepted the positionor not," said Bruce Nichols, the book editor ofGuinier's 1994 work "The Tyranny of the Majority,"in an interview last night.

Guinier has long ties to Harvard. Her father,Ewart Guinier, was the first chair of Harvard'sAfro-American Studies Department.

She attended Yale Law School after graduatingfrom Radcliffe and received tenure at Penn shortlybefore her nomination to the Justice Departmentpost.

Guinier's mother, Eugenia Guinier, did notreturn messages left at her Cambridge residenceyesterday