Divestment's Not the Only Show in Town

Thanks to the vocal South African Solidarity Committee (SASC), and outsider peering into the Yard might get the mistaken impression that all student political activity centers on South Africa and the University's investment portfolio.

Colorful anti-apartheid protests have become almost commonplace at Harvard, grabbing the campus spotlight and overshadowing a legion of her ongoing activist efforts. From the Conservative Club to the Spartacus Youth League, student activism takes many forms. The following selection of would-be movers and shakers runs the gamut from reaction to revolution.

Radcliffe Union of Students

"Student activism is an inability to sit still, a lack of complacency and a willingness to do something about it," says Ann Pellegrini '86, president of the Radcliffe Union of Students (RUS). Established in 1969, RUS provides "financial and spiritual guidance" for woman in the Harvard community by supporting woman's activities and groups, she says.

According to Pellegrini, one of the biggest problems RUS faces is simply making people realize that Radcliffe exists and that it's worthy of their attention. "RUS functions as a gadfly to Harvard's horse. We do things because no one else will," Pellegrini adds.

The organization's past activities include conducting and publishing a 1982 survey on sexual harrassment, sponsoring a women's studies thesis forum, compiling the women's studies course catalog, creating a women's center, and providing financial aid to various other student groups.

One of the problems Pellegrini and RUS must constantly fight is a "feminist-lesbian" stereotype, Pellegrini says. RUS is open to all woman in the Harvard community, but only the more liberal groups tend to associate with it. This places the union in a classic Catch-22 situation which Pellegrini has had difficulty overcoming.

Nevertheless, she remains optimistic about the coming year and student activism in general. "An activist asks for a lot more than he or she gets. We're here to remind the administration that they're accountable to their employees," she says philosophically.

Conservative Club

Unlike RUS, which constantly contends with a leftist stereotype, the Conservative Club savors its near monopoly as the voice of the right.

"Activist' has a leftish 'destroy the establishment' connotation, and for that reason I don't consider myself an activist," says Saied Kashani '86, president of the Conservative Club.

Although Kashani may reject the activist label, his actions speak as loud as his words. His club has sponsored a speakers series and has hosted such guests as Secretary of Defense Caspar W. Weinburger '38 and two Central American contras.

Last year, when a wave of anti-apartheid activism was at its crest, the Conservative Club invited South African diplomat Abe S. Hoppenstein to a private reception. The Lowell House event precipitated a major demonstration that last week resulted in disciplinary action against 10 students.

Last month, the club sponsored an appearance by Paul Cameron, a Nebraska-based psychologist who advocates a quarantine of homosexuals, intravenous drug addiets, and prostitutes whose blood carries the virus that causes AIDS.

"It's our job to make sure one half of every issue is presented. Our mission is to make sure those presenting the conservative side are given a platform," Kashani explains.

Like Pellegrini, Kashani sees campus activism gaining momentum, but he sees it moving in a different direction.

"People are becoming tired of the chokehold liberals and leftism have had on this campus," Kashani asserts.

COCA

Unlike most other campus political groups, the Committee on Central America (COCA) does not protest Harvard policies. Its target is the federal government.

"The primary goals of the Committee on Central America are educational, and the secondary goal is actively showing opposition to U.S. involvement in Central America," says third-year graduate student and COCA activist Douglas M. Brugge.

If COCA targets a higher authority, it also risks potentially higher stakes. Last year, five COCA members were jailed along with more than 500 demonstrators protesting U.S. intervention in Niearagua. COCA also chartered buses for Harvard students participating in a Washington rally last April. Brugge points out, however that most COCA activities are educational and not all COCA members participate in protests.

COCA holds teach-ins, sponsors speakers, and distributes a newsletter to more than 5000 students each semester. Comparing COCA to SASC, Brugge comments. "We put out a lot of information that's extremely important but less visible than SASC."

Alison J. Caplan '86, a member of COCA, agrees. "SASC has a very definite goal and aim. There will always be a COCA but if SASC had its way there would be no more SASC."

Both Brugge and Caplan stress that COCA is designed to appeal to all students who support self-determination for the people of Central America. They acknowledge that COCA's members represent a wide range of opinions. "The diversity of COCA is its strength," says Caplan. "We welcome anyone who is interested to get involved."

GLSA

With AIDS hysteria sweeping the country, the Gay and Lesbian Students Association (GLSA) views 1985 as an important year for educating the community at large. "There's a fine line between activism and education," says Co-President James A. Sanks '85-'87.

"People will be looking to us to educate and comment on the AIDS issue," says Lori S. Stewart '86-'87, the other co-president.

Both Sanks and Stewart favor what they describe as '80s-style student activism: action through education and cooperation. "I don't think our organization has anything to gain by being antagonistic. So long as the administration listens without outright rejection, we're okay," says Sanks.

GLSA members plan to distribute a campuswide mailing this year explaining the new clause in the University's anti-discrimination policy guaranteeing the rights of homosexuals in the Harvard community. They also intend to organize gay tables in various houses, to support Contact, the gay crisis phoneline, and most importantly, to sponsor a major AIDS benefit in the spring.

"Student activism is an all-encompassing word. To create change, to create movement--that's student activism," Stewart says.

BSA

Darryl A. Parson '87, president of the Black Students Association (BSA), says the organization keeps the administration's handling of minority relations under constant scrutiny.

"We want to be participants instead of observers. They must consider us as people and not just numbers," Parson says.

BSA's interests cover a wide range of topics. Members would like to have a say in the selection of a new dean of admissions who is sensitive to minority concerns, revamp the Harvard Foundation for race relations, better relations with the Harvard police and the more mainstream student organizations, and most importantly, effect changes in the College curriculum.

"One of the greatest insults was offering a Core course of 'Africa.' There's no way you can cover a continent in a semester," says Parson. The BSA wants to revitalize the Afro-American Studies program and increase the number of minority-related courses in the Core.

"In just think student activism is a necessity around here," says Parson. "You would be doing a disservice to yourself if you became isolated."

According to the BSA's philosophy, the way to reap positive results is to maintain a constant "watchdog" vigil, sustaining pressure on the administration.

Spartacus Youth League

The Spartacus Youth League (SYL) provides a familiar sideshow to almost every campus protest with banners and chanting.

Yet even in this bastion of liberalism, the SYL has trouble persuading students to take it seriously.

"What we want to do is link students with the power of the working class," states League leader Thomas N. Crean '86. "We want people to be class traitors."

Besides selling their newspaper, the SYL offers Marxist study classes, attends various political rallies both on and off campus, and tries to recruit people "willing to fight racist oppression." Although they recognize that their organization does not appeal to the majority of Harvard students, the Sparts remain hopeful that the working class will eventually triumph and revolutionize country.

More than some of its activist counterparts, the SYL has an antagonistic relationship with the University. "I think students have to understand who's on their side and who's not," says Carla D. Williams '86, referring to the Committee on Rights and Responsibilities and the administration at large.

"If students are against racism and U.S. imperialism, we are the organization to look at," Williams declares.