Bok Talk: Mush

To the Editors of The Crimson:

I enjoyed reading Joe Kahn's article on Derek Bok Friday, Jan. 10. Although the title suggested a news analysis on Bok's possible departure, the text was laughably mushy, from the "dawn of the Bok era" in paragraph eight through the "confidence and polish" Bok now demonstrates as he covers "all angles with ease and refinement."

Back when Joe Kahn was writing giddy letters of praise to his kindergarten teacher, Bok was refusing to cover angles (e.g. on divestiture or the numbers of women and minority students at Harvard) with students, face-to-face. Joe Kahn sees polish and refinement. I see a tenure of increasingly conservative backlash, including 1. a policy of exclusion. Of Skocpol from sociology (and perhaps political purging at the Law School), of women and minorities (of whom one report to the president suggested less of--they would be "happier" at "lesser institutions"), of medical workers from unions, of faculuty members from a day-to-day governance of Harvard. 2. a policy of deference. To the corporations that do business in South Africa. Bok has become a leading national spokesman for acquiescense in their line of defense: that Black South Africans are grateful for U.S. corporate involvement.

Joe Kahn's piece lacked any critical perspective. So you like the guy, Joe, I don't say you're not entitled to an opinion. But what is it doing on page three in (allegedly) a news analysis on whether Bok will leave. Write it on page two or keep it to yourself. We all get the Gazette for free, and I don't think many of us could bear to red it six times a week. Nancy Page '82, HLS '87