Overseers Plan to Review Election Rules Next Year

The president of the Board of Overseers and her designated successor told a group of divestment activists yesterday that the governing body will review its election procedures next year following heated criticism of practices employed in the current election.

The promise came at a private meeting among Overseers President Joan T. Bok '51, President-Elect Samuel C. Butler '51, and 10 representatives of the Southern Africa Solidarity Committee (SASC).

The students first sought the meeting after Bok sent alumni a letter that cautioned them against supporting three pro-divestment candidates seeking places on the 30-member governing board. Bok postponed an earlier appointment after protesters held a candlelight march to President Derek C. Bok's Elmwood Ave. residence.

Both Bok and Butler defended the letter during yesterday's 90-minute conference as a means of "leveling the playing field," according to SASC member Adam L. Ruderman '87, who was present.

The two overseers maintained that the pro-divestment candidates had "politicized" the election, Ruderman said. Bok and Butler described the disputed letter, which was mailed along with overseers ballots, as "a stop, look, and listen letter" alerting alumni that the three were running on a political platform, Ruderman said.

Since that letter was mailed, two other candidates have declared their support for divestment. (See accompanying story.)

The press was excluded from yesterday's evening meeting, which took place in the University Hall office of Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III. The meeting was also attended by Epps and Dean of the College L. Fred Jewett '57.

None of the Harvard officials present at the meeting would comment, but SASC members described the meeting afterwards, and several said they were disappointed.

"This meeting has convinced me that the leadership of the University does not [strongly believe in democracy]," said SASC member Damon A. Silvers '86. "The outcome of the meeting gives me the feeling that the only way to accomplish change at Harvard is through riots."

Bok, no relation to University President Derek C. Bok, agreed to meet with the activists after 70 studentsattempted several weeks ago to confront her at theWestboro offices of the New England ElectricSystems, of which she is chairman and director.

Bok has not returned repeated Crimson phonecalls seeking comment over the past month.

Although the Overseers represented yesterdaydefended the Bok letter, they said that theExecutive Committee of the Board of Overseers willreview its election procedures next year,according to the SASC representatives.

The activists said Butler and Bok agreed totheir demand that the overseers study a packet ofinformation prepared by SASC when they review theelection procedures.

SASC members said they remained unsatisfied,however, because the overseers would not guaranteethat no similar letters would be sent in thefuture.

"They implicity admitted that the electionprocedures were flawed, but they repeatedly saidthey were happy with this year's elections,"Ruderman said.

"We were trying to get them to admit that theyhad biased the election while they said they hadleveled the playing field," second-year lawstudent Eric G. Stockel '84 said. "They refused totake responsibility or even recognize theconsequences of their own action."

Under the current election procedures, theHarvard Alumni Association nominates 10 candidatesto run for the five spots on the board that openeach year. Graduates can also place their name onthe ballot by alumni petition, a procedure thethree pro-divestment candidates used.

Bok cancelled a previously scheduled meetingwith the activists on the advice of Vice Presidentand General Counsel Daniel Steiner '54 and Jewett.Steiner said at the time that he was not confidentthe activists would behave in an orderly fashion.

Harvard officials took extra precautions toprevent a disturbance yesterday, restrictingattendance to the 10 students and not disclosingthe meeting's location in advance