Rudenstine Speaks of Move to Allston, Living Wage

As part of an Undergraduate Council event yesterday, President Neil L. Rudenstine said some Harvard faculties are willing to move across the river to Allston, potentially opening up more space for the College in Cambridge.

Rudenstine did not specify a time frame, or specify which faculties had indicated they were willing to move. He noted, however, that room in Cambridge is becoming harder to find.

"There is hardly a human way to build anything in Cambridge right now," he said at a town-hall meeting with students that was the final event of the council's "Days of Dialogue" series.

The president, along with Associate Dean of the College David P. Illingworth '71, spoke candidly during the meeting, which drew about 50 students to Fong Auditorium in Boylston Hall.

In addition to speaking about space concerns, the administrators also addressed advising, issues of disciplinary action and rape reporting--saying a student proposal for "an impartial student advocate" in the disciplinary process was "a good idea."

The discussion covered a wide range of concerns--touching first on worker compensation. Living wage campaign demonstrators and posters outside the auditorium personally targeted Rudenstine, and Rudenstine faced persistent questioning in the forum.

Amy C. Offner '01 opened the event by asking him if the price of a living wage--$10.25--was too high, and added the administration had consistently refused to do anything about the situation.

Rudenstine defended the administration's actions in response to the living wage campaign by citing a faculty committee report and its resulting steps--including easing the requirements for obtaining full health benefits--as evidence the administration has listened to concerns.

He also noted there is collective bargaining at Harvard, and if unions want to set $10.25 as an entry-level wage "that's a perfectly good bargaining point."

"It wasn't the Harvard administration that refused to do anything," Rudenstine said. "It isn't a simple question. Maybe $12.50 is enough. Maybe $9 is enough. I don't know...Being listened to is not the same as always agreeing."

And in a passionate and unusual moment, Rudenstine addressed another student by speaking about his personal background and knowledge of worker situations, telling students that his 86-year-old mother--a waitress until the age of 77--never made $10.25 an hour in her life.

"You don't know anything about me," he said. "No reason why you should...There are a lot of families in America that work bloody hard...and don't make $10.25 an hour. That doesn't mean they shouldn't. But that's a separate discussion."

Advising and Sexual Assault

Students also asked Rudenstine and Illingworth what was being done about the quality of advising.

"I hear some of the same complaints you do," Rudenstine said. "Too many people fall through the cracks."

Illingworth said that the Student Health Action Committee (SHAC) was working to improve the situation. He added that a recent mental health report "indicated a significant improvement."

Eliana P. Kaimowitz '01 also said that students are sometimes hesitant to approach busy tutors, and advisors whose duties include discipline.

Lisa C. Lightbody '03 asked Rudenstine and Illingworth to address sexual assault issues, saying she felt that Harvard lacks adequate mandatory preparation on the subject.

Illingworth prefaced his response by apologizing for the absence at last night's rape/sexual assault discussion of Assistant Dean Karen E. Avery '87, who deals with sexual assault issues.

"It was not her fault," Illingworth said. "She was invited very late."

Illingworth said the College deals very well with students who report assault. The problem, he added, is with those who do not.

He said he would back to his colleagues take Lightbody's suggestion--and those of others, including a proposal to incorporate education into the prefect program.

When David B. Orr '01 proposed an "impartial student advocate," Rudenstine noted that a similar position existed at his previous university, Princeton, and called it "a good idea."

Undergraduate Council Secretary John F. Bash '03 provided a voice of optimism. A transfer from Columbia University, he said that advising here is far better.

At Columbia, Bash said, "you get far better advice in the back of a taxicab."

The Search for Space and Professors

A number of students pressed Rudenstine on space issues. Amma Y. Ghartey-Tagoe '01, the first marshal of the senior class, asked what students needed to do to get more space. Sterling P.A. Darling '01 said he thought that in recent years, the expansion of Harvard's research side has cost the College some space.

Rudenstine said that in this era, it was impossible for Harvard not to partake in serious research.

"But I don't think the undergraduate College needs to suffer for that," he said. "If we can move some parts of Harvard over there [across the river] that will open up space for the College."

Rudenstine said he saw adding more professors to the Faculty of Arts and Sciences as a top priority.

"It's the single most important issue in the College," he said.

It would improve not only the student-faculty ratio but also advising, and would also permit more first-years to take freshman seminars--a big academic priority, Rudenstine said.

Adding about 100 professors would take about $400 million, he said, and should be a top priority.

Dialogue Done?

Undergraduate Council President Fentrice D. Driskell '01 said she was happy with the way the "Days of Dialogue" events turned out.

"I hope that future councils continue it. It's a win-win situation," she said.

Last night's event, she said, drew about average turnout for a series event.

Darling said that he thought the less-than-packed turnout contributed to a better discussion. Driskell echoed that sentiment.

"I think that's one of the reasons why President Rudenstine felt comfortable enough to be that candid, which was definitely to the benefit of the audience," she said. "I have a feeling that this won't be the last we'll see of him in this type of forum."

--Staff writer Vasugi V. Ganeshananthan can be reached at vganesh@fas.harvard.edu.