Text of Statements on Shanties

Protesting Harvard's $416 million invested in companies which do business in South Africa, the Southern Africa Solidarity Committee (SASC) yesterday morning erected shanties in Harvard Yard. In a statement released yesterday, SASC issued the following demands as a condition for dismantling the shanties:

1) Divest Now

.Harvard University must divest all of its stocks in corporations that do business in South Africa.

.Radcliffe College must divest all of its stocks in corporations that do business in South Africa.

.Harvard University must stop sending mail to alumni to vote against pro-divestment candidates in the election for the Board of Overseers, especially accompanying ballots for the election. Additionally, we demand that the University apologize for the literature they have already sent out and that they provide candidates they have wronged with the opportunity to distribute their own literature at the expense of Harvard.

2) Demonstrate Sensitivity to Third World and Minority Concerns

.It is not enough for Harvard University to voice its concerns for the welfare of Third World and minority peoples, both in South Africa and in the University. To aid them genuinely Harvard must concretely respond to their proposals, whether it be for consultation about internship programs, the construction of a Third World Student Center, or the creation of a Women's Studies Program.

3) Alter the Decision-Making Process of the University

.The administration of the $1 million fund [set up by President Bok to aid Black South Africans] must be restructured in accordance with democratic principles--i.e. so that all the elements of the Harvard community are represented on the Committee, that Black South Africans are consulted about the merits of any proposal designed to help them.

.President Bok and members of the Corporation should address an open, university-wide forum on divestiture.

.The Corporation must publish all minutes of its meetings.

.The Corporation must publish Harvard University's international investments.

.The Committee on Rights and Responsibilities must be abolished and replaced with a juduciary body that draws upon all segments of the community for its constitution and correspondingly holds jurisdiction over all segments of the Harvard community.

The following is the University's response to yesterday morning's building of shanties in Harvard Yard. It was written yesterday by Vice President and General Counsel Daniel Steiner '54:

Apartheid stands in opposition to values fundamental to Harvard and other universities. Members of the Harvard community are united in their condemnation of this cruel and inhuman system of government.

Some members of our community are voicing their opposition to apartheid and to some of Harvard's investment policies through the erection of shanties in the Yard. The University asks members of the community to respect this expression of protest. Unless there is a problem of health, safety, violation of state or local law, or interference with the rights of others, the University now has no plans to do anything about the situation.