BSA Members Stage Protest in Gov Class

More than 60 students filed into Harvard Hall 104 yesterday afternoon to stand in silent protest over recent remarks made by Kenan Professor of Government Harvey C. Mansfield '53 that linked grade inflation at Harvard to the influx of black students in the 1970s.

Most of the protesters were members of the Black Students' Association (BSA), which orchestrated the sit-in for the 90 minutes of Mansfield's Government 1061: "The History of Modern Political Philosophy" class.

In his only acknowledgment of the sit-in, Mansfield prefaced his lecture by inviting comments from the protesters.

"If you have anything to say or protest, say it now because the lecture is on the topic of Machiavelli, not on anything [else] I've said," he said.

Mansfield's invitation was met by silence--BSA officers had repeatedly asked the protestors to be silent both to respect the learning process and to avoid being Ad-boarded for disrupting the classroom.

BSA President Aaliyah N. Williams '02 added that the power of silence should not be underestimated.

"Sometimes silence is more powerful than words," Williams said. "Our goal was to make a statement that we were aware of Mansfield's statements and that we wouldn't let them go unaddressed...and that's what we did."

Several students taking Mansfield's class said they were pleasantly surprised by the orderliness of the sit-in.

"I was worried someone might try to do something, but [the sit-in] was an effective and respectful means of protests," Jimmy Davis '01 said.

Mansfield himself called the protest "the most civil sit-in I've ever heard of," and approached Williams and BSA Treasurer Brandon A. Gayle '03 after class to set up a meeting between himself and the BSA officers on Monday.

"I want to be civil in return and I want to broaden the permissible discussion of some of these arguments," Mansfield said.

Mansfield added that he has been encouraged by the controversy his remarks have made, saying it has increased people's awareness of the grade inflation problem.

The protestors included a handful of graduate school students, high school students touring the campus and members of other student groups like the Progressive Student Labor Movement.

Demonstrators outside the room who were not affiliated with the University were asked to leave the premises and escorted to Johnston Gate by police. At one point, six police officers stood outside the classroom.

Also present to observe the sit-in were Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III, Associate Dean of the College David P. Illingworth '71 and Dr. S. Allen Counter, director of the Harvard Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations.

While Williams said the sit-in was successful, she said BSA will continue to call upon the administration to "mediate Mansfield's statements."

BSA officers will be meeting with President Neil L. Rudenstine today and Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis '68 on Thursday.

"We're just trying to talk to the university to figure out what type of actions can be taken," Williams said. "You can't fire [Mansfield] and you can't completely censor him, but is there any effective way of letting him know that these statements cannot be made?"

Williams also called upon Rudenstine to issue a public statement regarding Mansfield.

"It's been a week and there has been no public statement about it. This is an issue the president of the University should be concerned about, and his lack of response has been very disheartening," Williams said.

While Williams said that administrators have been helpful, Mansfield said he doubts that BSA's attempts to obtain official redress will be successful.

"I think [the administration] will want to have their own discussions, within the administration and with the BSA," Mansfield said. "The University ought to be mature enough to allow the discussion of [white guilt]."

Lewis refused comment for this article, although he has been very critical of Mansfield's comments in recent days.