An Undesirable Relation

To the editor:

I’m writing in response to the article published in your Feb. 29 issue titled “HEI Loses Princeton Dollars.”

Now that Princeton has joined Yale, Brown, and other leading universities in committing to not reinvest in HEI Hospitality, Harvard’s current relationship to HEI stands out increasingly sharply. I personally am waiting with concern for the Harvard Management Company to finish its review into HEI’s labor practices.  Many other Harvard students, faculty, and staff feel the same way. We already know that the National Labor Relations Board has charged HEI with intimidation and coercive behavior towards its workforce. We already know that HEI’s hotel Embassy Suites has recently been found guilty under California state law of denying employees in physically demanding jobs their legally mandated rest breaks. We already know that multiple HEI hotels are now under boycott at the urging of their own workers.

It only remains to be seen what further information HMC’s review will uncover, and what action the University will then take. Whether this will be a decision not to reinvest, or a stipulation that HEI make substantial changes to conform to a legal and ethical standard consistent with Harvard’s own, I hope that Harvard’s involvement with HEI can be prevented from permanently staining our reputation for fairness and compliance with the law.

Sincerely,

Clio Griffin ’15

Cambridge, Mass.

An Unfair Accusation

To the editor:

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