BSA Requests Black Faculty Search

The executive board of the Black Students Association (BSA) met last week with President Bok and Dean Rosovsky to demand that the Faculty establish a multidisciplinary committee to search for Blacks to teach at the University.

Bok said yesterday setting up such a committee is "an interesting idea."

He added that he encouraged the BSA board members he met with Thursday to work through Rosovsky. The Faculty would be more receptive to an appeal by the dean than to one made by students or other outside groups, Bok said.

Members of the board said affirmative action for Black Faculty candidated is a failure and that a special committee would improve the program.

The Bitter End

Bok said he and Rosovsky would speak to the BSA board on their progress "certainly before the end of the term," adding that the committee could be formed by September if the Faculty approves the plan.

"Bok over-emphasized the unavilability of qualified Blacks," Eugene J. Green '80, former president of the BSA. said last week, adding. "The work of the Afro-American Studies Department's executive committee is a good example of what Harvard can do--after one year they came up with three names."

Patricia M. Wright '83, a board member, said last week, "one of the first pools to which Harvard can look for tenured professors is its present Faculty members."

Statistics can be misleading, Wright said, adding that the number of minorities employed is increasing, but the number of Blacks working at the University has dropped.

"The people in charge of hiring teachers and professors are opposed to student input; since the Faculty should serve the students their needs and demands should be taken into consideration,"Wright said