Harvard Tries To Satisfy a HEW Request

Harvard took another step last week toward complying with Department of Health. Education and Welfare requirements to end discriminatory employment practices.

The Corporation moved Tuesday to extend formal grievance procedures to cover all cases of alleged discrimination brought up by non-teaching employees.

HEW had said that the University's previous procedures--which did not apply to Corporation appointees and covered only cases of discharge and employee discipline--were inadequate.

The new procedures, which have not yet been submitted for HEW approval, do not cover cases of alleged discrimination against members of the University's teaching staffs.

According to Edward W. Powers, associate director of Personnel, grievance procedures for faculty members and other instructors will be drawn up by individual faculties to deal with their own members.

Walter J. Leonard, assistant to the President, is expected to meet with HEW representatives in the next two weeks to discuss the grievance procedures.

If Harvard's plan fails to comply with the HEW guidelines on these and other questions of employment practices, the University stands to lose all of its Federal funding, amounting to more than $54 million. It appears unlikely, however, that a satisfactory resolution of differences will not occur.

Commenting on the situation. Robert Randolph one of the HEW officers working on Harvard's cases, said. "We have no reason to believe that they are not going to supply us with the material we've asked for."

But Randolph noted, it may still be quite a long time before Harvard finally comes through.