United Ministry Urges Discussion

Two of the major religious forces on campus have spoken out urging the Harvard administration to negotiate with the protesters currently occupying Mass. Hall.

The United Ministry, an interfaith coalition encompassing nearly all religious groups on campus, endorsed an open letter signed by all 13 House masters calling for negotiations, and Peter J. Gomes, Plummer professor of Christian morals and minister in Memorial Church, has called for a peaceful end to the Mass. Hall sit-in, now entering its seventh day.

Gomes, who has won a great deal of administrative influence in his decades of service as Harvard's primary religious leader, said he is conflicted about the merits of the protesters' call for a minimum $10.25 per hour living wage for all Harvard employees, but is committed to ending the sit-in through discussion.

"There must be an exit strategy we could discuss ," Gomes said. He called for a peaceful resolution that would leave both sides content.

Similarly, the masters' letter, written Sunday and endorsed by the United Ministry last night, calls for an open dialogue.

"We suggest a face to face meeting between student leaders and the administration," the letter reads.

While the letter does not endorse a living wage, it does issue a strong statement of support for the 37 students occupying Mass. Hall.

"We appreciate the care and diligence of our students in bringing this issue of wages to the attention of the entire Harvard community in their work and written reports over the past two years. We have deep respect for their commitment to social and economic justice, and we support them in these commitments," the letter reads.

PSLM member Amy C. Offner '01 called the letter from the masters "wonderful" in suggesting that administrators reopen what they have previously called a closed issue.

"That's precisely what we have been saying," Offner said. "We couldn't have asked for anything better."

But in a statement issued yesterday, University President Neil L. Rudenstine criticized the students occupying the building for tactics he called coercive and disruptive.

He said he has already met "numerous" times with students and will not meet with them again until "an environment of genuinely free discussion has been restored."

"The view that efforts at coercion and disruption, as opposed to discussion and persuasion, represent a proper means to achieve a desired result is mistaken, and inconsistent with the fundamental principles of a university," the letter reads.

Despite Rudenstine's refusal to negotiate, Gomes said he is committed to ending the sit-in and ensuring the well-being of the students inside.

On Sunday, Gomes led about 100 members of the Memorial Church congregation to Mass. Hall to pray with the protesters.

"I brought members of the congregation and we said some prayers," Gomes said. "Everyone that came by no means agreed with this campaign but we all wanted to pray for them and want to end this thing."

But Gomes said he remains conflicted about the issue of a living wage itself.

"I'm caught between wanting to uphold the economic opportunities for all our employees and keeping this institution economically viable," said Gomes, who is an outspoken political conservative.

"I don't think there's an absolute religious answer," he said. "For me to change my mind I would need to do a lot of reading and I can't do that as long as I am out here."

-Staff writers Andrew J. Miller and Daniela J. Lamas contributed to this reporting of this article.

-Staff writer Joseph P. Flood can be reached at flood@fas.harvard.edu.

-Staff writer Ross A. Macdonald can be reached at jrmacdon@fas.harvard.edu.