Minority Students Give Dean Concerns

Nine--students from several minority organizations met yesterday afternoon with Dean of the Faculty A Michael Spence and presented a list of minority concerns on issues including Faculty hiring and College curriculum.

Asian, Latino, Chicano, Black and Native American student representatives agreed on three specific minority concerns for Spence, including:

* increasing the number of minority faculty and administrators, with student input in the hiring search process;

* broadening minority support networks within residential Houses, with more departmental and senior tutors;

* offering a more diverse curriculum on minority issues, and including civil rights courses in the Core curriculum.

Black students re-emphasized their ongoing campaign to see African language incorporated into the curriculum.

After the meeting, Spence said it was too soon to say what would be done to address minority concerns. "It's really the first time I've had to meet with them. I would like to have a chance to think about what I heard," Spence said.

Representatives said they felt the new dean seemed very receptive to their proposals." It was a good meeting Spence seemed to be a very non-evasive administrator," said Anne C. Bailey '86, co-president of the Association of Black Radcliffe Women. "What remains to be seen is the follow-up."

Students said they expected to continue their efforts begun yesterday by trying to meet with departments and make professors aware of their concerns.

"We hope to convey that the importance of these issues are not restricted to improving the experience of minority students, but all students at Harvard." said Pauline W. Chen '86, so president of the Asian American Students Association.

Dr. S. Allen Counter, director of the Harvard Foundation, arranged the meeting after the Third World Student Coalition said last spring they wanted to meet the new dean.

"The Foundation acted as a go between in this instance." Counter said. "I must say that the issues were handled intelligently and professionally and it was good to see that the Dean made a commitment to follow up."