Afro Dept. Discusses Problems With an Overseer's Committee

Members of the Afro-American Studies Department met yesterday for the first time with a Visiting Committee of Harvard's Board of Overseers to discuss problems encountered by the department since its inception six years ago.

Ewart Guinier '33, chairman of the Afro Department and the department's only tenured member, last night told the Visiting Committee's members that Harvard's approach to blacks "parallels their treatment in American life" and is "no more elevated than that of the conservative majority of the U.S. Supreme Court."

In a statement released after his presentation to the Committee Guinier said that Dean Rosovsky and President Bok do not understand the problems of the Afro Department.

"Bok and Rosovsky have decided that only they know what is best for Black people, and have determined to enforce this slavocratic view at whatever cost to the victimized and to Harvard's liberal image," Guinier said.

Rosovsky could not be reached for comment last night.

B. Irven DeVore, professor of Anthropology and chairman of a special subcommittee of the Faculty Council that screens department recommendations on Afro appointments, also spoke with members of the Visiting Committee yesterday.

DeVore said last night he informed the members on the procedure for recommending individuals to joint appointments in Afro and other fields.

DeVore also said that his subcommittee is considering "three firm candidates formally put forward as joint appointments in Afro." "I hope the committee will be ready to make final recommendations on tenured positions within three weeks," DeVore said. The DeVore subcommittee's recommendations must then be submitted to an ad her committee that passes on all faculty appointment.