IOP Names Group Leaders

The Institute of Politics (IOP) this week announced the names of the seven scholars, writers and public officials who will lead its study groups next fall.

The groups, open to members of the Harvard community and Cambridge, will cover topics ranging from immigration law to the politics of sports.

The study group leaders will include William F. Weld '66, the former assistant attorney general who resigned from his post last March apparently in disapproval of his boss. Attorney General Edwin Meese III. Weld has told The Crimson he will discuss in his group white-collar crime and the relation of law enforcement to public policy.

The other group leaders are: Law School Lecturer Deborah Anker; Eileen Babbitt, associate director of the Public Disputes program at the Law School; David Lampe, author of the recently published book, "The Massachusetts Miracle; High Technology and Economic Revitalization"; Boston Globe sportswriter Bob Ryan; Tufts International Relations Lecturer Sherman Teichman; and Brad Minnick, chief of staff to the Minority Leader of the state House of Representatives.

A subcommittee of the IOP's Student Advisory Committee last Thursday voted to accept study-group proposals mainly from Boston-area experts,taking into account subject diversity and studentinterest, said Nancy F. Dietz, the student programcoordinator at the IOP.

Anker, who will lead a study group coveringimmigration law and policy, said she will addresssome of the significant immigration policy debatesthat have arisen within the past few years, suchas those over the employment of illegal aliens.

"I think we have gone through a radicalreassessment [of immigration policy]," Anker said."I don't think any period before this has seen areal alliance among forces on both sides of theissue. That is what fascinates me: the extent towhich that is true and how different groups affectthe outcome of legislation."

Lampe, the assistant director of the MITIndustrial Liaison Program, will discuss therecord of the "Massachusetts Miracle," Gov.Michael S. Dukakis' plan for economicrevitalization in the state.

"We are going to see exactly what peoplethought was happening and what really happened,"Lampe said. "It's not a simple case ofblack-and-white; people have different views ofwhat happened."

Lampe said that the national attention focusedon presidential contender Dukakis and his repeatedreferences to the Massachusetts Miracle shouldmake the topic especially relevant.

Teichman said he will lead a study group oncovert action in U.S. foreign policy. Teichman,who this spring led a study group on the MiddleEast, said his group this fall will explore theIran-contra affair, the use of poison gas in theIran-Iraq war and the connection between drugs andcovert action.

The topic of negotiation as a means ofresolving conflict will be covered by Babbitt.Babbitt said she will look at differentstrategies, how perceptions and misperceptions ofthe opposing group affects talks and hownegotiations break down.

Massachusetts House Minority Leader BradMinnick said his study group will cover what hedescribes as "the nuts and bolts of campaigncommunications." Minnick, former communicationsadviser of the Republican National Committee, saidhe will outline the responsibilities of a campaignpress secretary, which include preparing acandidate for a news conference, answeringquestions from the press and running a successfuladvertising campaign.

Boston Globe sportswriter Bob Ryan could not bereached for comment about his study group . Deitz saidhe will discuss the politics of sports, includingracism, drug testing, and the Olympics.

Included in the IOP's fall program is a currentaffairs discussion group, which will be led thisyear by Melissa Ludtke, who covers social policyissues for Time Magazine