Council, Crimson Must Focus on Harvard

To the editors:

As a student at Harvard in the late ’90s, I was witness to the folly of those politically-oriented Undergraduate Councils you refer to (Editorial, “A Step in the Wrong Direction,” Feb. 7): the Burma votes, fighting over gender-neutral language, and other meaningless effluvia better left, as you write, to those groups formed to address them rather than the one voice (albeit a hoarse one) for students’ concerns. At the time, however, the Crimson seemed to share a kindred spirit with the council in this respect of favoring political statements over action that would better students’ lives on campus—so much so, in fact, that at times, The Crimson—or at least its editorial page—seemed to border on the irrelevance into which the council was quickly sliding.

Thus it was much to my surprise and delight that I read Thursday’s editorial arguing against a return to those silly days of junior-varsity claims of righteousness. It seems that, finally, The Crimson has come around to recognize what many of us did back in the olden days: that the council is the only outlet for students’ day-to-day concerns at Harvard and should concentrate on these issues that directly affect its constituents, rather than serving as a forum for a few grandstanders to get their kicks by perching on their soapboxes, shaking their fists in the wind.

One hopes that both The Crimson and the council will continue to realize this, lending each the reliability and credibility it needs to be taken seriously.

George W. Hicks, Jr. ’99-’00

Washingon, D.C.

Feb. 7, 2002