Race Officials Explain Roles

The College's four top officials on race relations policy convened last night, explaining their roles in the complicated administrative apparatus and taking questions from the audience of about 25.

The panel discussion, sponsored by the Minority Student Alliance, included Harvard Foundation Director S. Allen Counter, Assistant Dean for Race relations and Minority Affairs Hilda Hernandez Gravelle and Race Relations Coordinator for the College Archie C. Epps III.

K. Anthony Appiah, who chairs a student-faculty committee on race relations, was also at the event, which was held in Harvard Hall.

Epps, who is also dean of students, briefly outlined his primary goals for the year, which include targeting relations between Black and Jewish students, improving training and supervision of the Harvard police and boosting the work of Appiah's committee.

Epps also said a handbook on minority issues would be in print before winter break.

Hernandez-Gravelle, saying that her office's progress "had not been well recognized," emphasized her role in educating the community on race issues.

She said a film produced on classroom harassment by her office is finally being shown to instructors, after three years of work.

"Race relations are not the students problems...they are institutional," Hernandez-Gravelle said.

Citing a new aggressive attitude she said, "I'm sort of changing my style nowadays."

Counter, who said that student advocacy has been central in bringing minority professors to campus as visiting scholars, urged that undergraduates remain active in diversifying Harvard's faculty.

"I am not proud to say that I am the only African American in my knowledge who has taught a science class in the last 20 years," said Counter, who is also associate professor of neurology.

Epps agreed with Counter that a lack of minority faculty members was a major concern.

"Under-represenation of Hispanic, Asian and African-American faculty is one of Harvard's greatest [concerns]," Epps said.

But Appiah said multiculturalism in the curriculum, rather than minority representation on the faculty, deserved top priority.

"The ways we teach can contribute to the development of understanding between groups and people," Appiah said.

Responding to a question about a lack of minority student centers along the lines of Hillel, Epps said this would "promote segreation of races."

Such a move, Epps said, would play into the hands of "truly conservative people" who believe that "You don't have to be inclusive, just give them a playpen on the periphery of the campus."

Counter, however, disagreed, saying that a Black cultural center would be valuable.

The panel took pains to stress that they do not represent a consensus of authority. "It would be dangerous if we all agreed," said Gravelle.