A Year of News

September 11

Music groups send a letter to Harvard urging the University to block access to Napster. Attorneys for Dr. Dre and Mettallica argue that Harvard has a “has a moral, ethical and legal obligation” to block the exchange of copyrighted material over the network. University officials, however, say they do not believe that Harvard will restrict access.

September 12

Newly arrived first-years are surprised when the ceiling of Stoughton Hall North 29 collapses causing three minor injuries and forcing the evacuation of both Stoughton and Hollis Halls. Although residents of the bottom three floors are able to return to their rooms that evening, first-years living on the fourth floor of Stoughton are housed overnight in Loker Commons.

September 18

The Office of the Provost announces the creation of interdisciplinary academic grants toward groups of students from at least three different schools. Up to $3,000 will be awarded in one year grants with the goal of encouraging collaboration amongst students throughout the University.

September 19

A Harvard senior is assaulted by two men described as skinheads outside of St. Paul's Church on Arrow Street. The police label this a potential hate crime. This is the second square attack in three days that could have racial or ethnic elements.

September 22

Harvard endowment reaches a record of 19 billion making it the largest university endowment in the world. The endowment grew thirty percent. “It was a great year,” says Elizabeth C. "Beppie" Huidekoper, vice-president for finance.

September 25

Harvard Law School faculty rejects a proposed pass-fail system designed to increase student satisfaction. The proposal was prompted after a McKinsey consulting group study last year described student dissatisfaction with the grading system.

September 27

The U.S. government files a $120 million suit against Harvard University over allegedly defrauding the government of $40 million in a Harvard administered federal foreign aid program in Russia. After a three year investigation, the government charges that the Harvard failed to provide adequate supervision to the program administered by the Harvard Institute for International Development (HIID). Harvard denies that administrators were aware of abuses.

September 28

Harvard announces that it will not block access to Napster. The Crimson learned that Daniel D. Moriarty, assistant provost for information technology, will send a letter to Dr. Dre and Mettallica attorney Howard E. King informing him that Harvard has refused his request to restrict access to Napster.

October 3

The Cambridge Police Department (CPD) apprehends a suspect in the hate crime against a Muslim undergraduate last month.

October 10

Harvard releases a report declaring sub-par working conditions exist in factories that produce college apparel. The report depicts rampant health and safety violations and also described the difficulty in monitoring the factories. The report is a joint effort with four other universities.

October 11

After months of negotiation, Harvard acquires the Hasty Pudding building owned by the Institute of 1770. Harvard hopes to be able to renovate the theater for use by other student organizations. Harvard, however, has no plans yet for the annual Hasty Pudding burlesque play will continue to be staged in the theater.

October 25

University Health Services (UHS) launches a new initiative to provide information on mental health services offered by Harvard. Harvard kicks off the initiative through a series of workshops over ten days. The initiative comes to address student concerns about mental health resources following a UHS survey last year.

October 27

After taking police on a high speed chase through Brookline and ending near the Malkin Athletic Center, Wilson J. Hunt Jr. `65-`69 assistant director of the Office of Career services remains in Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center undergoing psychological evaluation.

November 2

An unknown assailant sexually assaults a first-year female in a Yard dorm.

November 9

Institute of Politics (IOP) Director Sen. David Pryor announces the dissolution of the Student Advisory Committee to the shock of many members. He desires to change the IOP to attract more than one type of undergraduate.

November 14

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation donates $25 million to Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) and the Center for International Development for an Aids research and prevention program in Nigeria. The grant is the largest in HSPH history; the money will support the Nigerian AIDS Prevention Initiative.

November 18

Despite a valiant effort by the Crimson, Harvard falls to Yale 34-24 in the 117th Harvard-Yale Game. Because of a high turnover rate and a strong Eli defense, Harvard could not gain victory.

November 28

Upstairs at the Pudding and Harvard University reaches an agreement where the restaurant will stay upon through the 2001 Commencement. Although the university purchased the building in October, the future of the restaurant remained unclear until now. Harvard plans to begin renovations to the building when the restaurant leaves in June.

November 31

A first-year Harvard Medical student, Luz Angelica Chavez, commits an apparent suicide in Countway library. She apparently died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

December 4

Managers of Harvard’s endowment are rewarded with large bonuses. Many investment managers at the Harvard Management Company, which is an independent corporation that manages Harvard’s money, receive seven figure bonuses and even two managers garner an eight-figure bonus. This year the endowment gains a 32.2 percent annual return.

December 5

Director of the Institute of Politics (IOP) Sen. David Pryor announces the formation of an interim student board to advise the IOP and assist in deciding a permanent student structure to replace the dissolved Student Advisory Committee.

December 7

In their first major protest of the year, the Progressive Student Labor Movement (PSLM) living wage campaign stages a mock Christmas pageant entitled Neil Rudenstine‘s Christmas in Jail in front of the Science Center to protest Harvard’s lack of a living wage.

December 11

For the first time since 1930, no Harvard student wins one of the 32 American Rhodes scholarships in the prestigious program for study at Oxford University. Tegan S. Shohet '01 does win a Canadian Rhodes Scholarship. In addition, four Harvard students, however, are named one of 95 finalists.

December 14

Harvard College announce a ban of alcohol kegs at future Harvard-Yale tailgates parties and inside the Harvard Stadium.

December 15

Paul A. Gusmorino '02, and Sujean S. Lee '03, wins the presidency and vice-presidency respectively of the Undergraduate Council after defeating four other tickets.

December 17

Shira Palmer-Sherman’02 is critically injured while crossing Eliot Street across from Charlie’s Kitchen.

January 5

The search to replace President Rudenstine edges closer to conclusion as Harvard narrows the number of presidential candidates from over 450 to between 30 to 40. Removed from consideration were some political figures including Vice President Al Gore '69 and President Bill Clinton.

January 18

A man walks into an exam at the Science Center and threatens to set off a bomb. He says he is “declaring war on the United States of America." Students are able to flee safely and the man is arrested. The man does not possess a bomb.

January 23

Dean of Faculty Jeremy R. Knowles announces the planning of a new science museum that would pull from the collections of four of Harvard science museums. The new museum, whose price tag could run in the hundreds of millions, would help to alleviate the space crunch throughout Harvard museums.

February 1

Dean Harry R. Lewis’68, after five years as Dean of the College, releases a 37 page report detailing the state of the college. Although the report declares the state of the college is good, the report does detail the lack of campus space, flaws in academic advising, and inadequacy of athletic facilities.

February 2

The Senior Class Committee names

Bono, lead singer of U2, is named 2001 Class Day speaker.

February 5

Harvard Medical School (HMS) announces the outsourcing of custodians to Trammell Crow Company in one of the largest outsourcing of workers in HMS history.

February 14

Remarks by Kenan Professor of Government Harvey C. Mansfield '53 infuriate the Black Student Association causing around 60 students to peacefully sit-in during one of his government class. The sit-in comes after Mansfield remarked that grade inflation started to increase after the influx of black students in the 1970s.

February 16

Despite the support of the Undergraduate Council, House Masters denies 24 hour universal keycard access to the houses.

February 20

The presidential search committee meets with University of Michigan President Lee C. Bollinger, one of the top four finalists, in New York.

February 21

Following a financial aid increase by Princeton, Harvard announces an extra $2000 increase in need-based-assistance.

March 1

Harvard announces increased support to educational programs in Boston.

March 5

Harvard Graduate School of Education receives a $12.5 million donation, the largest in school history, from the film star Jane Fonda. The money will fund a study on how gender affects child development.

March 8

The Faculty Council votes to recommend to the Faculty in increasing the termbill from $20 to $35. The optional fee goes to fund student groups supported by the Undergraduate Council.

March 9

The Crimson announces that the presidential search committee will recommend the former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Lawrence H. Summers to the Board of Overseers to become Harvard’s 27th president.

March 11

After an emergency meeting of the Harvard Board of Overseers in New York City, Harvard announces the appointment of Lawrence H. Summers at a ceremony at Loeb House. "It's good to be home. I accept," Summers says.

March 20

Cambridge City Council criticizes Harvard for a $5 million dollar grant to Boston schools without an appropriate amount going to Cambridge. Councilors are angered that they were not informed of Harvard’s plans. "I have never seen the council so shocked and dismayed at the actions of a university as I have seen tonight," says Councilor Kathleen L. Born.

March 21

After spending his entire adult life at Harvard, Provost Harvey V. Fineberg '67 announces his resignation. Fineberg wrote his resignation in a letter to the Board of Overseers that he wanted president designee Lawrence H. Summers to have the opportunity to select a new provost.

April 2

Vice president for government, community and public affairs, Paul S. Grogan announces his resignation from Harvard to assume control of the Boston Foundation.

April 4

Getting a thick envelope from Harvard’s Admission Office got more difficult this year as Harvard accepted only 10.7 percent of applications to the Class of 2005.

April 5

President Rudenstine announces that he will rejoin the Mellon Foundation where he was formally executive director before becoming Harvard’s president. Rudenstine will lead an advisory group studying digital storage and distribution of art.

April 12

The popular Crimson Sports Grille will have its alcohol license suspended for 18 days for repeatedly violations of serving alcohol to minors. The Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission (ABCC) cited "excessive history of violations." The suspension follows five fines over the past decade for alcohol violations by the Grille.

April 16

After five years, Grafton Street closes its doors to customers last night after the restaurant did not have its rent renewed by the landlord. Grafton Street hopes to reopen later this year in the space formally occupied by the Bow & Arrow Pub.

April 18

Nearly 50 from Progressive Student Labor Movement (PSLM) begin a sit-in at Massachusetts Hall students to protest Harvard’s lack of a living wage. They want the university to adopt a living wage of $10.25. The protesters declare that they will remain there indefinitely until the university will agree to their demands. The sit-in follows a two-year effort by PSLM to implement a living wage.

April 24

After six days, outside support for the sit-in grows with growing support from the legislators and labor groups. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy '54-'56 (D-Mass.), meets with President Rudenstine in Washington to discuss implementing a living wage.

April 25

University administers begin discussions with protesters inside Mass. Hall to try to end the sit-in. Although Lowell House Co-Master Dorothy A. Austin and J. Bryan Hehir, the acting dean of the Harvard Divinity School, discusses possible resolution to the sit-in, the University emphasized that this meeting are not a “negotiations.”

April 26

In an event heralded as “The Big One,” over 700 people gather outside of Mass. Hall to rally for a living wage making it the largest Yard rally in six years. In addition to increased public support, the campaign has garnered the attention of the national media.

April 30

Despite a concession by President Rudenstine to form a new committee to study a living wage, protesters stayed put. Forming this new committee marks a major concession by the university since it had previously stated that the living wage issue “closed.”

May 1

In an effort to increase student satisfaction, Harvard Law School (HLS) announced several new innovations to improve student life as part of a new “Strategic Plan.” HLS will create small “law colleges” for first-year students in order to reduce class sizes by half. In addition, HLS announces increased financial aid for graduates in low-income fields.

May 2

After a security guard is assaulted at night and amid increased concerns with the number of non-Harvard people in the Yard because of the sit-in and tent city, University officials have closed the Yard at night. Between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m., only people with Harvard ID’s can enter the Yard.

May 8

After a 21 day occupation of Mass. Hall, the sit-in ended with Harvard agreeing to form a new committee to study labor issues at Harvard. This committee will include two undergraduates selected by the Undergraduate Council.

May 16

In an effort to increase first-year interaction with faculty members, the Faculty of Arts and Sciences will double the number of Freshmen Seminars offered next year. Also the report by the Faculty suggests that a number of structural changes be made to the seminars such as allowing seminars to count for concentration or core credit.

May 21

Some financial aid students will receive vouchers to attend student events next year. Organized by the Undergraduate Council and support by Dean Lewis and Office of Financial Aid, the vouchers would allow students with a parental contribution is below $2000 to receive discounted admission.