Students Strike for Diversity

More than 400 students from five Harvard graduate schools walked out of classes yesterday to call for increased faculty diversity.

The protest at Harvard was centered at the Law School campus, but for the first time this year included students from other graduate schools.

At the Law School, students held an all-day "diversity fair" in Harkness Commons aimed at giving students the opportunity to express their views on faculty diversity through letters, messages on a graffiti board and petitions.

Holding up signs with slogans such as "Honk For Diversity" and "White Male? Connected? Welcome To Our Faculty," Kennedy School of Government students picketed outside their school from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

At the Divinity School, students rallied and picketed from 9 a.m. to 11:45 a.m., according to third-year student Casandra S. McIntyre, a member of Communities Confronting Racism. About 100 Divinity School students boycotted classes and McIntyre said students are considering holding a sit-in in the future to draw attention to a lack of diversity in their own faculty.

The bulk of yesterday's activities took place at the Law School where more than 200 students expressed an open vote of `no confidence' in Dean Robert C. Clark. Many students also wrote letters to The Wall street Journal, responding to L. Gordon Crovitz's March 25 editorial about Clark.

Members of the Coalition for Civil Rights, composed of six minority students groups and the Women's Law Association, asked for immediate hiring of women and minority faculty members and for an increase in the pool of lateral appointments.

More than 100 students signed a statement acknowledging participation in the sit-ins in both Carter Professor of General Jurisprudence Charles Fried and Professor of Law Reinier H. Kraakman's offices. Only 14 students actually participated; they will be brought before the Administrative Board at the request of Kraakman and Fried. Yesterday's statement was an effort to thwart attempts to bring disciplinary action against the students who participated in the sit-in.

Law School Dean of Students Sarah Wald refused to comment on the Ad Board proceedings but voiced support for the students goals. "It's a very important issue that everyone needs to listen to," said Wald. "I appreciate the students' keeping it in the forefront."

But she questioned some of the students' methods for attracting attention. "Personally I don't think the sit-ins were constructive because they shift the focus unnecessarily to discipline," Wald said.

The strikers at all of the schools moved their activities to the Law School's Harkness Commons around noon for a joint rally. Besides the law, government and divinity students, members of the Medical School and School for Education were in attendance, as well as students from Brandeis University.

"It's said that...we are the lost generation," said first year student David S. Medina, a member of the Kennedy School Coalition for Diversity during the rally. "This is the first time I and the other Kennedy School students have [really] stood up for what webelieve in."

Some Law School coalition members at the rallycriticized the Law Review and liberal facultymembers for not vocally supporting the strike.

But some law professors did join the studentsin speaking at the rally. Professors Frank I.Michelman said he thought professors should bemore vocal in support of students. "You are rightin taking the position you do and with theadamancy you take it," Michelman said.

Most students were pleased with the turnout andsaid it was an improvement over last year. "Ithink students are not complacent. They are nolonger satisfied with dialogues and meetings,"said Katya Komisarck, a second-year law student.

Kennedy School students said yesterday that thestrike was successful but added that more peopleneed to join the effort. "We've had a lot ofstudents join up in the past few days," saidCoalition for Diversity member Stacie B. Triplett,a first-year kennedy School student. "We'd like itto be a kickoff for student activism in the '90s."

Mid-career student Gary L. Cunnigham emphasizedthe need for faculty activism as well. "I think[Dean Carnesale is] sincere, but he's afraid totake risks. A big part of leadership is takingrisks," he said

Associate Director of Student Services ElliotD. Dee agreed. "I think some people are afraid,but from private conversations I've had, I thinkthat a lot of faculty and staff support thestudents in their efforts to achieve more facultydiversity," he said.

Students also said they thought President NeilL. Rudenstine could be doing more.

Not all students were enthusiastic about theevents. "As a practical matter I'm not surewhether it's effective or not. As a theoreticalmatter it's very dangerous to the idea of auniversity," said Jeff H. Dean, a thirdyearstudent.

Kennedy School spokesperson Steven R. Singer,said several staff members in the Student Servicesoffices did not come in today. "The offices werecovered by supervisors, [as] worked out inadvance," he said. "It was fine with the school.

Some Law School coalition members at the rallycriticized the Law Review and liberal facultymembers for not vocally supporting the strike.

But some law professors did join the studentsin speaking at the rally. Professors Frank I.Michelman said he thought professors should bemore vocal in support of students. "You are rightin taking the position you do and with theadamancy you take it," Michelman said.

Most students were pleased with the turnout andsaid it was an improvement over last year. "Ithink students are not complacent. They are nolonger satisfied with dialogues and meetings,"said Katya Komisarck, a second-year law student.

Kennedy School students said yesterday that thestrike was successful but added that more peopleneed to join the effort. "We've had a lot ofstudents join up in the past few days," saidCoalition for Diversity member Stacie B. Triplett,a first-year kennedy School student. "We'd like itto be a kickoff for student activism in the '90s."

Mid-career student Gary L. Cunnigham emphasizedthe need for faculty activism as well. "I think[Dean Carnesale is] sincere, but he's afraid totake risks. A big part of leadership is takingrisks," he said

Associate Director of Student Services ElliotD. Dee agreed. "I think some people are afraid,but from private conversations I've had, I thinkthat a lot of faculty and staff support thestudents in their efforts to achieve more facultydiversity," he said.

Students also said they thought President NeilL. Rudenstine could be doing more.

Not all students were enthusiastic about theevents. "As a practical matter I'm not surewhether it's effective or not. As a theoreticalmatter it's very dangerous to the idea of auniversity," said Jeff H. Dean, a thirdyearstudent.

Kennedy School spokesperson Steven R. Singer,said several staff members in the Student Servicesoffices did not come in today. "The offices werecovered by supervisors, [as] worked out inadvance," he said. "It was fine with the school.