Students Stage Overnight Sit-In Outside Law School Dean's Office

Risking arrest and an administrative board hearing, nine members of the Coalition for Civil Rights began a sit-in in front of the office of Law school Dean Robert C. Clark yesterday afternoon.

The students were still in the building at press time early this morning and said they planned to remain until they are arrested or until Clark responds to their satisfaction.

In an interview yesterday, Clark said he had no immediate plans to call for the students' arrest. But in the event of an arrest, President Neil L. Rudenstine indicated yesterday that he would need to be consulted, according to third-year Peter M. Cicchino, one of the protestors.

At noon, students took over the hallway in front of the dean's office, stating that they plan to stay there until the Law School administration makes an active effort to recruit a more diverse faculty or until they are forcibly removed.

When asked by Clark to divulge their names, the students refused, requesting to see their lawyer, according a member of the coalition. To avoid identification, they wore masks depicting Dean Clark's face.

Last night's sit-in follows a series of discussions, rallies and sit-ins in support of increased faculty diversity.

Of the 64 tenured or tenure-tracked faculty members, six are Black men and five are white women. Two white women and one white manwill join the list next fall.

Students said the purpose of last night'stake-over was to remind the administration aboutthe passion they feel for their cause.

"We feel the dean and the faculty have to knowhow serious we are about diversifying faculty,"said first-year Gregory E.Bylinsky. "There isn't time to wait anymore."

"We want to make the dean take some kind ofaction and stop negotiating in bad faith with thediversity movement," he said.

The coalition members said they have takentheir complaints to Rudenstine, who, they believe,"should be taking a stand."

"Rudenstine has the opportunity to show hiscommitment to the issue of diversity by hisreaction in this protest," Cicchino said.

He added that Rudenstine has the authority toprevent an arrest. "Minimally the president wouldhave to acquiesce in the decision to arrest. He isimplicated personally," Cicchino said.

Those students already facing charges from lastweek's sit-ins in the offices of Carter Professorof General Jurisprudence Charles Fried andProfessor of Law Reinier H. Kraakman '71 did notparticipate in last night's take-over, accordingto John E. Bonifaz, a third-year law schoolstudent and coalition member.

Clark said he did not approve of the Fried andKraakman sit-ins as they "tried to get on thenerves of individual people." But he said hebelieved students were more willing to participatein discussions this year.

Students, however, said they do not think thatClark is sincere in his efforts to increasefaculty diversity.

"He talks with students about conciliation, butin outside publications read by alumni he talksabout student insecurity as being the reason forthe diversity movement," Corazin said, referringto a March 25 editorial in The Wall Street Journalwhich identified Clark as a"counterrevolutionary."

The diversification movement also reached themeeting of the Law Review last week, when a numberof students left a cocktail party where Fried wasspeaking, according to Rebecca Eisenberg.Eisenberg said she had a cordial discussion withFried over her wearing of a red arm band insupport of the diversity movement.

Students said this year's protest appears to bethe most explosive display of student anger in thelast decade.

"This has escalated beyond any previousprotest," said second-year Katya Komisaruk. "Thisis the first time people have been committed tobeing arrested. The provocation and comment by thedean has caused the crescendo."

But Dean Clark said he saw the sit-in as partof the annual spring protests. "It's not radicallydifferent from my first spring here," said Clark.

Clark said he was anxious for "rambunctiousdiscussion." Clark, who said he did not plan toremove the students from his office, did say that"it is important for an institution to takedisciplinary action." The punishment, according tothe dean, would not be particularly harsh

Students said the purpose of last night'stake-over was to remind the administration aboutthe passion they feel for their cause.

"We feel the dean and the faculty have to knowhow serious we are about diversifying faculty,"said first-year Gregory E.Bylinsky. "There isn't time to wait anymore."

"We want to make the dean take some kind ofaction and stop negotiating in bad faith with thediversity movement," he said.

The coalition members said they have takentheir complaints to Rudenstine, who, they believe,"should be taking a stand."

"Rudenstine has the opportunity to show hiscommitment to the issue of diversity by hisreaction in this protest," Cicchino said.

He added that Rudenstine has the authority toprevent an arrest. "Minimally the president wouldhave to acquiesce in the decision to arrest. He isimplicated personally," Cicchino said.

Those students already facing charges from lastweek's sit-ins in the offices of Carter Professorof General Jurisprudence Charles Fried andProfessor of Law Reinier H. Kraakman '71 did notparticipate in last night's take-over, accordingto John E. Bonifaz, a third-year law schoolstudent and coalition member.

Clark said he did not approve of the Fried andKraakman sit-ins as they "tried to get on thenerves of individual people." But he said hebelieved students were more willing to participatein discussions this year.

Students, however, said they do not think thatClark is sincere in his efforts to increasefaculty diversity.

"He talks with students about conciliation, butin outside publications read by alumni he talksabout student insecurity as being the reason forthe diversity movement," Corazin said, referringto a March 25 editorial in The Wall Street Journalwhich identified Clark as a"counterrevolutionary."

The diversification movement also reached themeeting of the Law Review last week, when a numberof students left a cocktail party where Fried wasspeaking, according to Rebecca Eisenberg.Eisenberg said she had a cordial discussion withFried over her wearing of a red arm band insupport of the diversity movement.

Students said this year's protest appears to bethe most explosive display of student anger in thelast decade.

"This has escalated beyond any previousprotest," said second-year Katya Komisaruk. "Thisis the first time people have been committed tobeing arrested. The provocation and comment by thedean has caused the crescendo."

But Dean Clark said he saw the sit-in as partof the annual spring protests. "It's not radicallydifferent from my first spring here," said Clark.

Clark said he was anxious for "rambunctiousdiscussion." Clark, who said he did not plan toremove the students from his office, did say that"it is important for an institution to takedisciplinary action." The punishment, according tothe dean, would not be particularly harsh