Speech Committee Will Hold Panel Talk in April

The University-wide Committee on Free Speech named by President Neil L. Rudenstine this fall will hold its first event next month, members said yesterday.

The committee, which was formed in late October, will hold a forum on April 21 entitled "Does the University Have a Point of View?" said the committee's chair, Professor of Government Michael J. Sandel.

The committee's meeting coincides with the recent debate on campus about free speech, sparked by comments made by Thomson Professor of Government Harvey C. Mansfield '53, a committee member.

Mansfield said professors in the 1960s were reluctant to give C's to the increasing number of Black students on campus, thus inflating the grades of all students.

Earlier this month, those comments spurred protests and a demand for an apology from campus ethnic organizations.

Sandel said also that he does not expect the matter to be discussed at the forum, and thus sees no conflict between Mansfield's role as a committee member and his part in the recent controversy.

"The purpose of the forum is not to address any particular controversies, but rather to address some ques- tions about free speech in a university setting and whether the University as a university has a point of view," he said. "The questions relating to free speech in the University setting bear on what people are thinking about, but at the same time we don't want to [focus] on specific controversies."

Other committee members are Professor of Law Randall L. Kennedy, Professor of Law Kathleen M. Sullivan, Stanton Professor of the First Amendment Frederick Schauer and Mansfield.

When the group was named, Sandel said that it was not intended to intervene during specific controversies, and that it would have no legislative or disciplinary powers.

At the time, he said the body may hold public forums, interview people, consult student groups and at times issue opinions on the scope and meaning of free speech.

The committee has only met once since the initial meeting, Sandel said. "We've essentially met to try to plan the forum and design our topic," he said. "I've met once with President Rudenstine...to discuss the forum."

He said that the committee has not yet interviewed students or spoken with student groups, although the committee plans to send letters to student groups to discuss the upcoming forum.

And the committee has yet to serve in its advisory capacity, said Sandel. He said that Rudenstine did not ask the committee separately or as a whole for advice during the recent controversy over comments by Mansfield, which some minority leaders have called racist.

Sandel will serve as the moderator for the forum. Each of the other members will make an initial statement to begin a discussion among the panel, which will be enlarged to allow for audience participation. Sandel said the committee hopes to make the forum a yearly event.

Schauer said yesterday that his initial statement would not focus on specific cases. "The general themes about what I'm going to talk about are related to which ways private universities are and are not like state universities and, because of their educational function are and are not like other public speech services," he said.

Schauer said that Mansfield's comments would have no effect on what he or other committee members would discuss, although he said he hopes exploration of the larger issues involved would help focus thinking about more specific issues of free speech.

"If there can't be free speech about free speech, what's the point--although free speech is often the subject about which there is the least free speech. I hope that doesn't happen here," Schauer said

Other committee members are Professor of Law Randall L. Kennedy, Professor of Law Kathleen M. Sullivan, Stanton Professor of the First Amendment Frederick Schauer and Mansfield.

When the group was named, Sandel said that it was not intended to intervene during specific controversies, and that it would have no legislative or disciplinary powers.

At the time, he said the body may hold public forums, interview people, consult student groups and at times issue opinions on the scope and meaning of free speech.

The committee has only met once since the initial meeting, Sandel said. "We've essentially met to try to plan the forum and design our topic," he said. "I've met once with President Rudenstine...to discuss the forum."

He said that the committee has not yet interviewed students or spoken with student groups, although the committee plans to send letters to student groups to discuss the upcoming forum.

And the committee has yet to serve in its advisory capacity, said Sandel. He said that Rudenstine did not ask the committee separately or as a whole for advice during the recent controversy over comments by Mansfield, which some minority leaders have called racist.

Sandel will serve as the moderator for the forum. Each of the other members will make an initial statement to begin a discussion among the panel, which will be enlarged to allow for audience participation. Sandel said the committee hopes to make the forum a yearly event.

Schauer said yesterday that his initial statement would not focus on specific cases. "The general themes about what I'm going to talk about are related to which ways private universities are and are not like state universities and, because of their educational function are and are not like other public speech services," he said.

Schauer said that Mansfield's comments would have no effect on what he or other committee members would discuss, although he said he hopes exploration of the larger issues involved would help focus thinking about more specific issues of free speech.

"If there can't be free speech about free speech, what's the point--although free speech is often the subject about which there is the least free speech. I hope that doesn't happen here," Schauer said