Epps Report Leaves Unresolved Question

When Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III announced the preliminary results of his race relations evaluation last week, he detailed three planned policy initiatives but left unanswered a significant question: who is in charge of race relations at Harvard?

After a series of ethnic relations crises last spring, Epps was named the College's coordinator of race relations policy.

This fall, Dean of the Faculty Jeremy R. Knowles appointed a student-faculty committee on race relations chaired by Professor of Afro-American Studies K. Anthony Appiah.

But two other officials--Assistant Dean for Race Relations and Minority Affairs Hilda Hernandez-Gravelle and S. Allen Counter, director of the Harvard Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations--remain in charge of separate offices with roles in race relations policy.

In theory, both Hernandez-Gravelle and Counternow work under Epps. The two are also members ofAppiah's committee.

Explaining the findings of his recentevaluation, Epps said last week that both theOffice of Race Relations and Minority Affairs andthe Foundation would continue in their presentroles. The Foundation serves primarily to organizeevents celebrating the diverse ethnicities ofHarvard, and Hernandez-Gravelle's office providesa place for students to present complaints ofharassment, Epps said.

Hernandez-Gravelle's office is also availablefor sensitivity training and outreach, he said.These are now the "first stage" of Epps' proposedmediation teaching.

But one of the dean's goals is to move racerelations initiatives more toward the houses. Andif the houses are to serve a more importantfunction in race relations, that would imply thatthe Office of Race Relations' contact with racerelations tutors will play an important andincreasing role. The training in "mediation,"which Epps called a continuation of the resourcesavailable at Hernandez-Gravelle's office, seems amodification of that office's role.

In fact, any change in the College's policieson race relations would adjust the jobs of boththe Foundation and the Office of Race Relationsand Minority Affairs, since between the two ofthem they should answer all student needs on theseissues.

This raises the question of whether Eppshimself is creating a third office. The deanperformed his evaluation this fall with the aid oftwo interns, and not through either Counter orHernandez-Gravelle.

The dean stresses that the new setup will only"enhance" the role of both offices. But betweenEpps and the committee, it is unclear who iscoordinating the activities of the two offices andpreventing overlap.

The committee's role was originally supposed toinvolve long-range planning and generalsupervision of ethnic relations issues, but Appiahsaid last week that its job is "advisory, notmanaging."

"It's not our job to do his job," Appiah said.

But Epps said that Appiah's committee, whichhas met only once, is to "oversee" the operationsof the Harvard Foundation and the Office of RaceRelations, which he says he has "norecommendations" on.

Both Epps and Appiah agree that the committeewill have a part in long-range planning on racerelations issues. But based on the recentevaluation, the committee has yet to define itsown role.

The picture of Harvard's race relationsinfrastructure is still unclear. It remains to beseen whether Epps' continued evaluation and thecommittee's upcoming meeting will give theinfrastructure--and its administrators--a moreunified vision

In theory, both Hernandez-Gravelle and Counternow work under Epps. The two are also members ofAppiah's committee.

Explaining the findings of his recentevaluation, Epps said last week that both theOffice of Race Relations and Minority Affairs andthe Foundation would continue in their presentroles. The Foundation serves primarily to organizeevents celebrating the diverse ethnicities ofHarvard, and Hernandez-Gravelle's office providesa place for students to present complaints ofharassment, Epps said.

Hernandez-Gravelle's office is also availablefor sensitivity training and outreach, he said.These are now the "first stage" of Epps' proposedmediation teaching.

But one of the dean's goals is to move racerelations initiatives more toward the houses. Andif the houses are to serve a more importantfunction in race relations, that would imply thatthe Office of Race Relations' contact with racerelations tutors will play an important andincreasing role. The training in "mediation,"which Epps called a continuation of the resourcesavailable at Hernandez-Gravelle's office, seems amodification of that office's role.

In fact, any change in the College's policieson race relations would adjust the jobs of boththe Foundation and the Office of Race Relationsand Minority Affairs, since between the two ofthem they should answer all student needs on theseissues.

This raises the question of whether Eppshimself is creating a third office. The deanperformed his evaluation this fall with the aid oftwo interns, and not through either Counter orHernandez-Gravelle.

The dean stresses that the new setup will only"enhance" the role of both offices. But betweenEpps and the committee, it is unclear who iscoordinating the activities of the two offices andpreventing overlap.

The committee's role was originally supposed toinvolve long-range planning and generalsupervision of ethnic relations issues, but Appiahsaid last week that its job is "advisory, notmanaging."

"It's not our job to do his job," Appiah said.

But Epps said that Appiah's committee, whichhas met only once, is to "oversee" the operationsof the Harvard Foundation and the Office of RaceRelations, which he says he has "norecommendations" on.

Both Epps and Appiah agree that the committeewill have a part in long-range planning on racerelations issues. But based on the recentevaluation, the committee has yet to define itsown role.

The picture of Harvard's race relationsinfrastructure is still unclear. It remains to beseen whether Epps' continued evaluation and thecommittee's upcoming meeting will give theinfrastructure--and its administrators--a moreunified vision