College Decries Mather Graffiti

College administrators yesterday condemned the racially offensive graffiti that appeared in Mather House Saturday.

Mather House resident tutor Jeffrey Moran said that around 5 a.m. last Saturday, he found the letters "KKK" scratched by a key into a Mather Tower elevator door.

In addition to a letter distributed to all Mather residents, the administration denounced "graffiti with intent to intimidate" and are in the process of investigating new approaches to the problem of offensive graffiti at Mather.

Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III said that reaction to past racial incidents in Mather among house members is strong and that the administration is waiting to see how house members react in the next several days before making any decisive moves.

"I think the house is taking the right steps," Epps said. He emphasized that both the Harvard University Police Department and the administration are aggressively seeking to identify the perpetrator.

"We would like to know who's responsible. It would help if someone came forward," Epps said.

He said that Mather House Master Sandra Naddaff '75 has met with house race relations tutors and that the administration is waiting to see what the results of a meeting of the house's W.E.B. Du Bois discussion group will be.

"[The graffiti] is of concern to all faculty and students of the house," Epps said.

Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis '68 agreed that the graffiti issue goes beyond those directly involved.

"[The graffiti] is regrettable and reprehensible, and I hope whomever is responsible will stop," Lewis said. Although Lewis has not seen the graffiti himself, he said he has had several conversations with the masters.

"I am very happy with the way the masters are handling it," Lewis said. "I'm glad they distributed the letter in their house."

Epps noted that last year a similar incident at Mather was followed by a petition on behalf of students who did not want graffiti to be seen as representative of their house. "There was an outpouring of signatures," Epps said.

Minority Students Alliance Co-chair Sheila N. Swaroop '96-'97 said she applauded the actions taken by the Mather House masters but hoped there would be a public dialogue about the incident in the future

Epps noted that last year a similar incident at Mather was followed by a petition on behalf of students who did not want graffiti to be seen as representative of their house. "There was an outpouring of signatures," Epps said.

Minority Students Alliance Co-chair Sheila N. Swaroop '96-'97 said she applauded the actions taken by the Mather House masters but hoped there would be a public dialogue about the incident in the future