Minority Student Groups, Rudenstine Back Counter

Harvard Foundation Director S. Allen Counter yesterday issued a statement apologizing for statements that may have "inadvertently contributed to the tensions" in race relations on campus.

Earlier in the day, a coalition of minority groups expressed support for Counter in a letter to The Crimson, and criticized the newspaper for its coverage of their organizations.

In addition, the Student Advisory Committee to the Harvard Foundation met last night to discuss last week's controversies over Counter's letter to The Crimson, which criticized the newspaper's coverage of minority issues, and over the staff's response--both of which were found offensive by many.

The committee includes Shai A. Held '94, chair of Harvard-Radcliffe Hillel and Natosha O. Reid '93, the committee's co-chair, who co-authored the letter to The Crimson with Counter.

Late last night, the BSA door-dropped a "fact sheet" alleging "injustices perpetrated upon people of color" by the Harvard University Policy Department, Peninsula magazine, The Crimson and the Law School administration. "We are tired of constantly being attacked anddehumanized as a community and as a people," theflyer stated. "As competent, intelligent humanbeings and Harvard students we demand to betreated with respect."

The document, entitled "On the HarvardPlantation," also encouraged recipients to protestto Harvard administrators, listing the names ofdeans and their phone numbers.

In his statement, Counter addressed "concerns"that his letter to The Crimson may have caused.

"I did not mean to imply that there is anyassociation, official or unofficial, between TheCrimson and Hillel," he added. "I also regret ifany reference I made regarding the comments ofindividual students implied that theyintentionally meant to undermine the HarvardFoundation or to damage relations between Blackand Jewish students."

Counter also took steps to clarify a statementhe attributed to The Crimson which said Hillel was"dissatisfied with the Foundation's work."

In yesterday's statement, he said, "Hillel hasnever officially criticized the HarvardFoundation."

Counter said his original letter to The Crimsonwas aimed at addressing tensions between thenewspaper and minority groups.

But in a separate letter yesterday leaders ofseveral minority groups further criticized TheCrimson for "demonstrat[ing] negligence inreporting" and "represent[ing] our organizationsin a negative and inaccurate way."

The minority coalition's letter enumerated anumber of specific complaints--ranging frommisrepresentations to allegedly offensiveeditorials.

The letter was written by the leaders of theAsian American Association (AAA), the BlackStudents Association (BSA), La OrganizacionEstudantil Boricual (LaO), Raza and the Society ofArab Students).

The minority coalition strongly opposed anycall for Counter's resignation, according to AAACo-President Mark H. Kim '94, and expressed strong"support [for] the efforts and achievement of theHarvard Foundation and Dr. Counter in promotinginterracial and intercultural understanding."

While the minority leaders backed Counter, theydid not, however, express unanimous support forCounter's letter to The Crimson.

Kim said AAA was "trying to be neutral aboutDr. Counter's letter and the response to that,"but praised "the work of Dr. Counter" and insistedthat "Crimson reporting on minority issues can beimproved."

"The letter supports Counter but notnecessarily everything he said," added a studentofficial who attended yesterday's meeting. Thestudent, who requested anonymity, expressed abelief that The Crimson's mistake were probablynot made from "malicious intent" or any larger"conspiracy".

Other minority leaders, including leaders ofBSA, LaO and Raza, declined to comment or couldnot be reached yesterday.

Crimson Managing Editor Maggie S. Tucker '93said that the paper's editors hope to meet withrepresentatives of the various groups.

"We appreciate their expressing theirconcerns," Tucker said. "We're hoping to meet withthem to talk about how The Crimson's news coverageworks and to clarify our position on some of theissues they have raised.

The document, entitled "On the HarvardPlantation," also encouraged recipients to protestto Harvard administrators, listing the names ofdeans and their phone numbers.

In his statement, Counter addressed "concerns"that his letter to The Crimson may have caused.

"I did not mean to imply that there is anyassociation, official or unofficial, between TheCrimson and Hillel," he added. "I also regret ifany reference I made regarding the comments ofindividual students implied that theyintentionally meant to undermine the HarvardFoundation or to damage relations between Blackand Jewish students."

Counter also took steps to clarify a statementhe attributed to The Crimson which said Hillel was"dissatisfied with the Foundation's work."

In yesterday's statement, he said, "Hillel hasnever officially criticized the HarvardFoundation."

Counter said his original letter to The Crimsonwas aimed at addressing tensions between thenewspaper and minority groups.

But in a separate letter yesterday leaders ofseveral minority groups further criticized TheCrimson for "demonstrat[ing] negligence inreporting" and "represent[ing] our organizationsin a negative and inaccurate way."

The minority coalition's letter enumerated anumber of specific complaints--ranging frommisrepresentations to allegedly offensiveeditorials.

The letter was written by the leaders of theAsian American Association (AAA), the BlackStudents Association (BSA), La OrganizacionEstudantil Boricual (LaO), Raza and the Society ofArab Students).

The minority coalition strongly opposed anycall for Counter's resignation, according to AAACo-President Mark H. Kim '94, and expressed strong"support [for] the efforts and achievement of theHarvard Foundation and Dr. Counter in promotinginterracial and intercultural understanding."

While the minority leaders backed Counter, theydid not, however, express unanimous support forCounter's letter to The Crimson.

Kim said AAA was "trying to be neutral aboutDr. Counter's letter and the response to that,"but praised "the work of Dr. Counter" and insistedthat "Crimson reporting on minority issues can beimproved."

"The letter supports Counter but notnecessarily everything he said," added a studentofficial who attended yesterday's meeting. Thestudent, who requested anonymity, expressed abelief that The Crimson's mistake were probablynot made from "malicious intent" or any larger"conspiracy".

Other minority leaders, including leaders ofBSA, LaO and Raza, declined to comment or couldnot be reached yesterday.

Crimson Managing Editor Maggie S. Tucker '93said that the paper's editors hope to meet withrepresentatives of the various groups.

"We appreciate their expressing theirconcerns," Tucker said. "We're hoping to meet withthem to talk about how The Crimson's news coverageworks and to clarify our position on some of theissues they have raised.