Latino Studies Advocates Irked By President

After two students met with President Lawrence H. Summers to discuss the future of Latino studies at Harvard on Tuesday, Latino and black students said yesterday they are upset by Summers’ reported comments regarding ethnicity-based studies.

But the University strongly contested both the accuracy of the students’ account and their interpretation of Summers’ response.

Summers said during his office hours that he is unwilling to actively discuss the future of Latino studies at Harvard, according to a statement issued yesterday by Luis S. Hernandez, a graduate student at the Divinity School who co-chairs Concilio Latino, and Maribel Hernandez ’04, president of RAZA.

“We were disappointed with the outcome of the meeting, but not surprised based on the way he has treated others here—we are in good company,” said Luis Hernandez.

Both students attended Summers’ office hours to present a letter requesting, among other things, a Latino studies department and tenured Faculty positions in the field. The letter was signed by more than 100 people.

According to Luis Hernandez and Maribel Hernandez, Summers acknowledged the importance of the Latino population to America’s history but said he was uncertain the study of Latinos warranted a formal program. The students say Summers said he was wary of the legitimacy of programs that could promote individuals studying their own ethnicity.

Maribel Hernandez said when she pointed to the existence of the Afro-American studies department, Summers called it the “outermost case” and said “perhaps it warranted a separate department” because blacks were central to the Civil War.

Alan J. Stone, university vice president for community, government and public affairs, said Summers thought there were “substantial inaccuracies” in these accounts and that it was his understanding that the meeting was private.

He added that Summers is willing to talk with all students and has repeatedly made himself accessible to them.

Stone also noted Summers’ consistent statements favor of the Afro-American studies department and that his position has not changed.

Despite Stone’s comments, Black Students Association (BSA) President Brandon A. Gayle ’03 said he is certain of the accuracy of the students’ account and found Summers’ alleged comments disturbing.

“I find the fact that he thinks about Af-Am in the context of the Civil War and as the exception to the rule is rather troubling,” he said.

Gayle said he is confident other black students and Faculty will also take issue with Summers’ alleged comments. He has forwarded an e-mail account of the meeting, written by Luis Hernandez and Maribel Hernandez, to professors and students and plans to discuss whether they should respond in any way.

Luis Hernandez also said Summers was initially unwilling to even respond to their letter—and only agreed to do so after the students emphasized the amount of work and student support it represented.

But Maribel Hernandez said Summers stated the letter was not a pressing concern and that their request for a response by March 15 was unrealistic.

“We got the sense that he wasn’t going to read the letter seriously,” she said.

When the students asked Summers to meet with more students, Maribel Hernandez said he refused, saying such a meeting would lead to more student groups wanting to meet with him.

Luis Hernandez said that while Latino students await Summers’ response, they will contact other administrators.

And Gayle said the BSA is willing to help out in any way possible.

“[Summers’ behavior] seems to be a recurring theme, and if Latino studies needs any support from us, they will get it,” Gayle said.

—Staff writer Jessica E. Vascellero can be reached at vascell@fas.harvard.edu.