University to Investigate Charges Against Counter

An official investigation will follow a formal complaint filed against Harvard Foundation Director S. Allen Counter, Dean of the Faculty Jeremy R. Knowles said this week.

"Any complaint by students, staff, faculty or a member of the public about an administrative officer's actions associated with his stated duties must be listened to and considered and resolved by the next responsible officer," Knowles said.

Earlier this month, Daniel J. Libenson '92 filed a formal complaint suggesting that the University remove Counter.

Counter, in a letter to The Crimson, quoted Libenson anonymously in a letter to The Crimson, using a statement Libenson made at a Foundation-sponsored meeting as an example of concerns that were not productive to discussions of campus race relations. Counter later apologized for the quote in another letter to The Crimson.

Libenson charges that Counter made anti-Semitic statements in a 1985 magazine article, and that Counter's first letter to The Crimson, published earlier this month, contained insensitive statements.

"As the official in charge of race relations at Harvard, Dr. Counter has an obligation to be even-handed and be seen as an honest broker by all involved," Libenson said yesterday.

Counter apologized in a letter to The Crimson for any misunderstandings caused by his original letter.

Dean of the College I. Fred Jewett, to whomCounter reports directly, is out of town until May12, according to his office.

Knowles said an investigation of anadministrative officer takes into account onlythat officer's performance and the questionsraised by the complainant.

But action the University takes when theinvestigation's findings are released, Knowlessaid, may depend on the campus climate and otherfactors.

"There are always two steps, as in medicine,"Knowles said. "There's diagnosis, and then there'streatment."

"The diagnosis is going, of course, to be apurely fact-finding assessment of the events,"Knowles said.

At its meeting Wednesday, the Faculty Councilbegan to discuss the campus debate about Counterand the Foundation.

According to John B. Fox Jr. '59, actingsecretary of the faculty, the council is"concerned" about statements regarding Counter aswell as those concerning campus studentpublications.

"The health of this community is of greatimportance to the council," Fox said.

What makes the current situation different frompast campus controversies, Fox said, is that mostof the questionable statements have been made inpublic forums.

As students, administrators and studentorganizations continue to debate the issuessurrounding Counter, Knowles urged those involvedto change the level of campus discourse.

"I don't think one has a discussion or evenconducts an argument by assertion," he said."Rather, to learn we have to listen, and bylistening, we may understand."

"We have problems in our society when ourdiscussions move from the challenging andquestioning, as far as the intemperate and theinsulting," Knowles said. "I don't believe that Ican usefully discuss philosophy, physics or finearts if I am too strident or confrontational."

Knowles said he is concerned with the lack ofcommunicaton that may arise from the currentdiscourse.

"It's harder to listen when other peoples'volume control is turned up too high," Knowlessaid.

Knowles also said that one of the principalmedia for exchanges about Counter--The Crimson'snews and editorial pages--may be inadequate.

"I hope we can find a forum for talking anddiscussion, in addition to the pages of TheCrimson," Knowles said. "Because if it's just thepages of The Crimson, we are in danger ofourselves taking positions rather than listeningand hearing the concerns of others."

"I should like to move to a community wheremore people have their receivers turned on andfewer have their transmitters turned on," Knowlessaid.

President Neil L. Rudenstine has urged theHarvard community to move past the controversy,and to begin a healing process.

Rudenstine and other administrators have beenconducting a series of meetings with Jewish andBlack students in an attempt to ease campustensions

Dean of the College I. Fred Jewett, to whomCounter reports directly, is out of town until May12, according to his office.

Knowles said an investigation of anadministrative officer takes into account onlythat officer's performance and the questionsraised by the complainant.

But action the University takes when theinvestigation's findings are released, Knowlessaid, may depend on the campus climate and otherfactors.

"There are always two steps, as in medicine,"Knowles said. "There's diagnosis, and then there'streatment."

"The diagnosis is going, of course, to be apurely fact-finding assessment of the events,"Knowles said.

At its meeting Wednesday, the Faculty Councilbegan to discuss the campus debate about Counterand the Foundation.

According to John B. Fox Jr. '59, actingsecretary of the faculty, the council is"concerned" about statements regarding Counter aswell as those concerning campus studentpublications.

"The health of this community is of greatimportance to the council," Fox said.

What makes the current situation different frompast campus controversies, Fox said, is that mostof the questionable statements have been made inpublic forums.

As students, administrators and studentorganizations continue to debate the issuessurrounding Counter, Knowles urged those involvedto change the level of campus discourse.

"I don't think one has a discussion or evenconducts an argument by assertion," he said."Rather, to learn we have to listen, and bylistening, we may understand."

"We have problems in our society when ourdiscussions move from the challenging andquestioning, as far as the intemperate and theinsulting," Knowles said. "I don't believe that Ican usefully discuss philosophy, physics or finearts if I am too strident or confrontational."

Knowles said he is concerned with the lack ofcommunicaton that may arise from the currentdiscourse.

"It's harder to listen when other peoples'volume control is turned up too high," Knowlessaid.

Knowles also said that one of the principalmedia for exchanges about Counter--The Crimson'snews and editorial pages--may be inadequate.

"I hope we can find a forum for talking anddiscussion, in addition to the pages of TheCrimson," Knowles said. "Because if it's just thepages of The Crimson, we are in danger ofourselves taking positions rather than listeningand hearing the concerns of others."

"I should like to move to a community wheremore people have their receivers turned on andfewer have their transmitters turned on," Knowlessaid.

President Neil L. Rudenstine has urged theHarvard community to move past the controversy,and to begin a healing process.

Rudenstine and other administrators have beenconducting a series of meetings with Jewish andBlack students in an attempt to ease campustensions