Inactive Commission Lingers Past 60s

Following weeks of student rioting and a blockade of University Hall, the faculty voted at a packed meeting in May 1970 to create the Commission of Inquiry, a forum to which students can bring complaints that do not fall under the jurisdiction of any other administrative body.

The commission, which sits at the end of a dark corridor in the basement of University Hall, handles an average of one case a year. Complaints range from a number of student allegations that a professor inadequately publicized a crucial review section, to professors' disagreements with textbook service at the Coop.

Good Old Days

"It was founded by moderates to reassure radicals that there are ways to change the institution without destroying it." John P. Marquand, assistant dean of the College, said yesterday.

--Most observers agree that the commission has not fostered much institutional change to date.

"I don't think the need for it would have been felt in any other decade than the one in which it was formed," Marquand said. "The kind of cases that come up are in an area where students feel that the reality they're in should be different," he added.

Although the commission is mentioned in the Student handbook, few students are now aware that it exists. Gail M. Latouf '84, co-chair of the Undergraduate Council's academic committee, said. She said her committee will urge that the commission be used more frequently as an "ombudsman" to intervene in students' problems.

But other students and faculty members are less enthusiastic about the potential of the commission--whose three professors, one undergraduate and one graduate student member make non-binding recommendations to the Faculty Council.

"Right now it's worse than useless," Michael G. Colantuano '83, the chairman of the Undergraduate Council who served as the student member of the commission, during his sophomore year. He said the group gave only "superficial" treatment before rejecting the only student complaint it heard in the year he was on it.

Any member of the Harvard community may use the commission to explore a grievance, and Donald H. Pfister, professor of Biology, who served on the commission from 1978 to 1980, said it is a more necessary forum for employees than students. Students have alternative means through which to make a complaint, he added.

The commission is technically required to submit an annual report to the community on its actions of the past year. But in practice it does not, because the few cases it treats are generally confidential. Anne F. Lessels, administrative assistant in the office of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, said yesterday. Colantuono said he was disturbed by the one case the commission handled during his tenure on it. A student complained that a professor for whom he worked at the Medical School was actively working to get him rejected from the Medical School because of an argument they had over the number of hours the student would work. The student also charged that the professor had graded him unfairly in a course.

Although Colantuano's term on the commission ended before that case was resolved, he said that or the basis of written evidence submitted of the commission, there may well have been next to the student's complaint.

Colantuano said that to his knowledge no action was ever taken on that complaint. "I believe the commission failed to fulfil its function," he added.

Marquand said there is still a need for the commission. "It's not totally useless," he said, adding, "It has shed new light on matters--encouraged students and Faculty to see things in different ways."

"Mayhe the problem is that it lucks a personality." Plistel said, adding, "It's so easy to forget about it.