Bok, Steiner Debate Divestiture With PBH Steering Committee

The Steering Committee of Phillips Brooks House (PBH) met Wednesday with President Bok and Daniel Steiner '54, general counsel to the University, to discuss Harvard's investments in South Africa and the possibility of divestiture.

Andrew L. Creighton '81, treasurer of the PBH steering committee, said yesterday Steiner told the committee, said yesterday Steiner told the committee that Harvard will probably never divest.

Steiner said yesterday he saw "very little chance of divestiture in the foreseeable future" because it is "not a sensible or ethical action for Harvard."

Creighton said Steiner, a member of the Faculty committee of PBH, organized the informal discussion in response to the committee's requests for more information on the University's South African policy.

Kristen L. Manos '80, president of PBH, said yesterday the PBH cabinet initially contacted Steiner last December, after voting to support the South African Solidarity Committee's appeal for full divestiture.

Manos said Wednesday's meeting was "an open discussion where we rehashed all the old arguments for and against divestiture."

"We all learned something," Creighton said, adding, "some of their arguments were much better than I thought they were."

Steiner said, "It is important that people of good will, who have a difference of opinion, sit down and talk things out." He added, "we were listening to each other, and that's significant."