Third World Groups, Crimson Meet

Members of campus Third World organizations met with members of The Crimson executive board this weekend to demand improvement in coverage of Third World people and issues.

Forty-three representatives of Third World organizations, including members of the Harvard-Radcliffe Black Students Association (BSA), Asian American Association, Raza, La Organizacion, Harvard African Students Association and American Indians at Harvard, met with about 20 members of The Crimson executive board.

Lisa E. Davis '81, secretary-general of BSA, presented the groups' demands asking The Crimson to:

* I print a front-page apology concerning the March 1, 1980 article entitled "The Celling of America" similar to the one which appears next to this article;

* I have increased and more accurate coverage of Third World activities on campus and elsewhere and present greater articulation of student protests in its coverage;

* not alter any pictures without prior notification and permission of the subjects and print only pictures directly relevant to articles and captions directly relevant to pictures;

* capitalize the word "Black" when it is used in any ethnic or racial context, and correctly spell all names of Third World peoples and organizations;

* be consistent in its professed "racially blind coverage" of news;

* cover the meetings between the Third World organizations and The Crimson executive board on the front page of The Crimson;

* publish Third World organizations' newsletters free of charge and insert them into The Crimson for delivery;

* and allow Third World students to cover Third World events.

Robert O. Boorstin '81, president of The Crimson, responded to the groups' demands on behalf of The Crimson, and later met with the executive board to respond formally to the demands.

The Crimson agreed Saturday to print a second apology concerning a picture of two Black students which ran March 1, 1980 on the paper's editorial page. The Crimson also agreed to give increased and accurate coverage to Third World events, capitalize the ethnic names of Third World peoples, insert the Third World organizations' newsletters on terms to be discussed, and offer the opinion page on an occasional basis for Third World students to present the Third World perspective.

Crimson editors said Third World editors have always been permitted to cover Third World events and The Crimson has always tried to achieve the goal of accurate coverage at all times. Third World students, however, said they felt dissatisfied with the paper's attempts.

Spokesmen for Third World organizations said they would not discourage Third World students from joining the paper's staff and would notify The Crimson of Third World events on campus.