No Access, No Peace

Harvard President Neil L. Rudenstine

Radcliffe President Linda S. Wilson

Provost Jerry R. Green

Dean of the Faculty Jeremy R. Knowles

Dean of the College Fred L. Jewett '57

Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III

STUDENT LEADERS CONFRONT THE COLD, STONE WALLS OF UNIVERSITY HALL

Almost unanimously, leaders of students groups express frustration with getting the attention of Harvard's administrators.

"I can't say that I've felt that any of them have been particularly open or caring," says Jean Tom 96, co-chair of the MSA. "Certainly they're not uncivil. But in terms of genuine concern for our demands, I'm not so sure how much they have."

And while most leaders agree they can get in to meet with administrators, some say they've received negative reactions and evasive answers.

"They've been responsive in that they will get back to us, but in terms of meeting our demands, they've been less responsive," Tom says. "Often times their responses is to direct us to another administrator, which can often feel like we're getting the runaround."

Representatives from the MSA, who usually meet with Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III, say they have been disappointed by Epp's inaction.

"He has bee able to direct us to other resources, but in terms of his actually taking direct action, I can't say that he's been very responsive," Tom says. "I guess I'd like to see him take a more active role in communicating with student groups and really listening to our concerns and demands and actively trying to do something about them."

Harvard administration officials have been particularly unresponsive to minority issues, according to Tom.

"I realized that they're in a difficult position, that they have to balance the interests to many different groups, but I wish they would listen to the students more," Tom says. "it always feels like we're coming to them and asking for things. I wish that they would take the lead in these issues of minority faculty hiring and ethnic studies."

Tom criticizes the administration's lack of interest in reforming faculty hiring policies.

"We're students and we're here to learn, where it seems like it should be their job to pursue this goal of diversity on campus," Tom says. "After all, it is one of their stated objectives. It seems like that should their job."

Leaders of other minority groups agree with Tom's assessment that administrators do not actively pursue the recommendations made by students.

As students, our job is to study. As student leaders, our job is to lead an organization as well. As anyone will tell you, leading an organization is a huge monster task," says Alex Cho '95, head of the Asian American Association. "We don't have time to do anything that won't generate immediate results. That's why dealing with the administration becomes frustrating."

Although today's administrators do meet with disgruntled students, much of what they say is simply rhetoric, according to some student leaders.

"Often the meetings aren't that fruitful--a lot of talk and not much action," says Alvin L. Bragg '95, president of the Black Students Association. "I'm talking about the upper levels--some fancy breakfast, but little action. The ball of motion slowly."

Although most students say administrators are at least available to meet with them, Tom says administrators should make themselves more open to student contact.

"Part of [the reason students do not pursue appointments with administrators] is their perceived inaccessiblity. I think for them to have office hours is a good idea, like the ones Dean Epps has weekly," Tom says . "Certainly more meetings would be a positive thing for administrators to better understand students."

(SURPRISE) ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS SAY THEIR DOORS ARE OPEN

Administrators, on the other hand, say they are very interested in meeting with students--especially in listening to and considering what students think.

"Student input is very helpful where I see it," Dean of the Faculty Jeremy R. Knowles says.

Administrators say they make themselves accessible by encouraging students to make appointments and come in during their office hours.

"I like seeing undergraduates, and I hope that they will feel free to contact me on any subject or whenever they think I can be helpful," Provost Jerry R. Green says.

"Obviously, the schedule is pretty busy, but someone should be able to get an appointment within a few days, and immediately if the matter is urgent," he adds.

In fact, administrators say students can always get an appointment from two days to a week after they call, depending on the situation.

"If a student asks to see me, we make it the earliest possible time. In a couple day period, it's pretty easy [to get an appointment]," says Dean of the College L. Fred Jewett '57. "If it's an advisee, [my assistant] will get them in as soon as possible. You don't wait more than a couple of days."

HOW DOES THAT MAKE YOU FEEL?

Urgent matters are not the only reasonadministrators deign to meet students.Administrators say there are no limits todiscussion topics.

"I place no restrictions on who I will talk toor about the subject. However, coming to me formoney is not likely to work since the centraladministration has very little," Green says.

"I would be much more helpful on matters ofUniversity policy, especially things that affectseveral schools at once and thus lie outside thecomplete control of the College," he says.

Jewett says he meets with students "on a dailybasis on a whole range of issues. It might relateto the Ad Board, academics, housing ROTC, finalclubs-almost any issues that's one currently beingdiscussed."

"There's no topic I won't talk about," he says."I'm interested in student views on a whole numberof things."

But both administrators and students agree thatstudents make appointments when they have aspecific topic they want to discuss.

"There are reasons why a student specificallywants to come in," Jewett says. "Students usuallyhave some request they want to make or to registercomplaints or suggestions."

WHAT DO THEY TALK ABOUT--SEX? DRUGS?MINORITY HIRING?

Students leaders have a litany of topics whichthey discuss with administrators on a regularbasis.

Justine C. Label '97, vice-chair of theUndergraduate Council's student affairs committee,says he meets with Jewett, Epps and Dean ofUndergraduate Education Lawrence Buell to discussprojects which include the upper class facebook,calendar reform and the fate of the LinguisticsDepartment.

"We usually discuss with them things likeFreshmen Week and Parents' Weekend," says AllisonJ. Koenig '95, former president of the Crimson KeySociety.

Megan E. Lewis '95, co-president of RadcliffeUnion of Students (RUS) has a monthly breakfastmeeting with Dean of Radcliffe Phillipa A. Bovet.

"We discuss general topics, such as questionsabout a Harvard-Radcliffe merger, having men votein RUS or just asking for advice," Lewis says."It's very easy to make appointments with her, andwe can go and just ask her questions."

STUDENTS AGREE: ADMINISTRATORS ARE AVAILABLETO CHAT, IF NOT TO ACT

Perhaps learning from the mistakes of 1969,present-day administrators appease students byopening their doors. Students who meet regularlywith the administration all agree; they can get inwhen they have to.

"I meet with administrators up to two or threetimes a week. It's not hard to make appointments.They're usually pretty accessible," Label says.

"It might be different for average students tomeet with them, though, because there are projectsthat they want to be involved with and want todiscuss," he says.

John B. King '95, president of Phillips BrooksHouse, agrees. "I find all the administratorspretty accessible," he says.

THE SPECIFICS ON BUELL EPPS, GREEN, JEWETT,KNOWLES, RUDENSTINE AND WILSON

Although the administrators all emphasize theiraccessibility and eagerness to meet with students,the methods for reaching any one of them arehighly varied and erratic. Epps, Jewett, PresidentNeil L. Rudenstine and Radcliffe President LindaS. Wilson hold office hours--when they're in town.Buell, Knowles and Wilson request appointments.Green, riding the electronic superhighway, iseasily accessible by e-mail and in fact encouragescommunication via the Internet. Some of the aboveadministrators will respond to written request byfax. All have secretaries blocking the way.

Jewett's office is open on Thursday afternoonfrom 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.

"People can just walk in," he says.

Jewett is so dedicated to keeping his Thursdaysfree that he returned a Crimson reporter's phonecall at home last Wednesday night so his officehours would not be interrupted.

Epps' office hours are 2 to 4 p.m..Rudenstine's are once a month at varying times;students must sign up for a slot one hour ahead oftime. Wilson's are held at 4:15 p.m. on oneWednesday each month.

Other administrators, though, require thatstudents make appointments. Buell had "deanly"office hours last year," but a single block wasrestrictive. Instead, I encourage my assistant tomake appointments when students find itnecessary," he says.

Buell also returned a Crimson reporter's phonecall the night an interview was requested.

"I would welcome hearing from students andlistening to what they feel are the pressingconcerns," Buell says. "When I have particularissues I want student opinions on, I find out byasking the students I teach, or through the CUEcommittee, which I chair."

Last year, he scheduled one meal at each housewith groups of concerned students. He decided notto continue the program this year, because "Ididn't want to be a pest."

Knowles says he prefers students to makeappointments and does not hold open office hours.

"I prefer to see representatives or groups thanto try to distill the concerns of 6,600 studentsby random sampling," he says. "I do ,of course,see quite a lot of the Dean of the College[Jewett] and the Dean of the UndergraduateEducation [Buell], who routinely see more studentsthan I do."

Knowles was unable to speak to The Crimson forthis story, but wrote out answers to questions,including artistic of skiers on his letter.

Knowles says that while he does meet withundergraduates, such appointments have to be atodd times.

"My horrible calendar will often mean meetingon a Saturday, or on a couple of occasions,Sunday," he says. "I see students on as ad hocbasis who are not happy for one or another reason.Often I have to schedule these on a Saturdaymorning or 'just for lunch."'

THE INFORMATION SUPERHIGHWAY COMES TOSTUDENT-ADMINISTRATION RELATIONS

For those really dedicated to getting in touchwith an administrators, there are severalunorthodox methods.

Green has an e-mail account which he checksseveral times a day.

"I have not had any e-mail from anyundergraduates this year," he says. "If youpublish my e-mail address maybe they will send memessages, and I will be happy to respond." In arare effort to foster student-administrationfriendliness, The Crimson informs its readers thatGreen can be reached over the Internet atjgreen@harvard.edu" or at "green@nocmsmgw."

He says he has several topics he would like todiscuss with interested undergraduates.

"From my point of view, since my role asprovost is to increase the cooperation amongHarvard's nine schools, I would like to know thatthings undergraduates would most like to haveaccess to in the schools other than FAS," Greensays.A-14