Proposal For Helping Young Faculty Leaves Workers Behind

To the editors:

There were several interesting paragraphs in “Summers Garners Applause At Mather” (News, Mar. 16), in which University President Lawrence H. Summers is reported to offer special benefits to faculty but makes no mention of the concomitant needs of Harvard workers. Apparently, it is quite beyond his mental horizon that Harvard workers, not just highly favored and sought-after faculty members, face family-related pressures, too. Like faculty, they juggle family responsibilities, need daycare, need flexible work arrangements, need to cover tuition costs for their college-aged kids, and most certainly could use interest-free loans to do so. Once again, “an extra little bit of assistance” for the privileged members of the Harvard community and nothing for Harvard workers and their families, is a gracious plenty, just the right amount, the perfect balance­­—as far as Summers is concerned.

Why should students, if they are at all concerned with the lack of workplace justice and equity, have applauded these institutionally discriminatory statements of Summers, as reportedly they did last night at Mather House?

TOM POTTER

Cambridge, Mass.

March 16, 2005