May Reveals Proposal For New Meal Policy At NAC Demonstration

A rally of about 350 people sponsored by the November Action Committee dispersed yesterday after Dean May read a statement indicating that students may soon be able to get rebates for meals missed in dining halls.

NAC called the noon rally at University Hall to support its demand that Harvard give rebates for missed meals to the Black Panther Party. Over 550 students have signed a petition pledging not to eat in the dining halls on Wednesdays and instructing the University to give rebates to the Panthers.

May responded by reading a proposal passed over the weekend by the subcommittee on meals of the Committee on Houses and Undergraduate Life which would allow students to sign up for fewer than 21 meals each month and receive individual rebates at the end of the term for the rest.

Although NAC spokesmen told the students at the rally that they would return on Friday to hear the University's answer, Dean May said yesterday afternoon that the statement constituted the University's final refusal to NAC's request.

Under the new policy-which the subcommittee asked be instituted "as soon as possible" -students would be refunded only for the cost of the food, and dining halls would maintain present staffs and schedules.

The resolution says that "rebates due individual students will be calculated at the end of the term and checks will be issued to individuals."

No Check for Panthers

Dean May said yesterday that rebates would only be given to individuals and ruled out completely the possibility of a collective rebate to be given the Panthers as NAC had proposed.

"The University just can't be in the position of making out a check to a political organization." May said. "Our lawyers won't allow it."

The new policy will be considered at a special meeting of the full Committee "sometime this week." May said. If passed by the Committee, it must be approved by Dean Dunlop and L. Gard Wiggins, administrative vice-president of the College. If the proposal passes, the University Food Services will require ten working days' notice before the change can go into effect.

The organizers of the rally had intended that students supporting the rebate demands would enter University Hall and talk to the members of the Committee whose offices were in the building. However, when the rally assembled, Dean May came out to the Southeast steps andread the statement. All other doors in University Hall had been locked before the rally.

After May's statement, Michael Kazin '70-3 proposed that the rally break up and return on Friday after the full Committee had met. After two members of the Boston Black Panther Party spoke, the crowd dispersed, but about 50 demonstrators marched to Fay House at Radcliffe Yard and entered the offices of Mary I. Bunting, President of Radcliffe, Mrs. Bunting was not in.

On the Other Hand

During the rally, members of Young Americans for Freedom taunted NAC speakers through a bullhorn. Douglas F. Cooper, fifth-year graduate student, told the crowd that NAC had "the minds and attitudes of vigilantes."

NAC spokesmen said last night that they hope the full Committee will change the resolution to allow collective rebates. "We have said that we would do what was necessary to win this," one said. "It appears that the University is defining what is necessary."