Defensive Lineman Permitted To Play Despite Probation

The Administrative Board yesterday decided to permit a Harvard football starter to play on the team even though he is on disciplinary probation for placing a prank phone call last winter to a Black student.

The 25-member body last Tuesday placed Greg H. Williams '88 on disciplinary probation for the rest of the year for telephoning a Black student sitting at the Currier House bell desk.

Under College rules, students on disciplinary probation may not participate in extracurricular activities or intramural sports without the Ad Board's express permission.

Members of the Ad Board would not comment on Williams' case, but they said it was not unusual for the College's chief disciplinary body to grant students on probation permission to participate in extra-curricular activities.

"I am very, very pleased to be back," said Williams, who is a starting defensive lineman. "I feel a lot better not having to let my team down."

Williams is one of six students disciplined for their actions on January 23. Four North House seniors shattered a window near the Black student and 45 minutes later, Williams' rooommate, Jack C. Patterson '88, made a phone call that contained a racial slur to the same Black student. Williams followed up with a second prank call, saying, "How's the breeze in there, man."

Although it initially seemed that the phone calls and the window-breaking were part of a calculated racial attack, the Ad Board ruled two weeks ago that the students who broke the window and the students who made the phone calls were not working together.

The disciplinary body also required Patterson and the students who broke the windowto withdraw for one year. Williams was placed on"probation vice severe"--the most serious form ofprobation--one week later.

"I'm definitely not proud of what I have done,but there was no intention to harm the student atthe desk or the community," Williams saidyesterday. "I was simply making a light-heartedjoke about what I perceived to be a stupid prank.Later I realized it was a serious thing."

All six of the students have said they wereintoxicated on that January evening. "I was notblind drunk but I had been drinking and I feel myjudgement was impaired," Williams said.

Williams, who said he expects to play Saturdayagainst Cornell, said he had not expected hispetition to succeed.

"I was kind of pessimistic because they'd beenso severe," Williams said. "I was told originallythat it was a long shot."

North House Senior Tutor Robert L. Franklinsaid when a student on probation petitions toparticipate in an activity, the Ad Board"considers how the activity may or may not berelated to the offense, the nature of the offenseas well as the person's personal characteristicsand how the person has responded to probation."

Williams said his written petition to the AdBoard explained, "I was aware of what I had doneand I realized why I was in this position. I alsotold them what football meant to me and that Ifelt I could contribute more to the community byplaying football."

The petition included statements on Williams'behalf from the football team and his formersenior tutor Margot N. Gill, the North Houseresident said. Students petitioning for exemptionsfrom probation are not eligible to appear beforethe Ad Board.

Football team captain Kevin J. Dulsky '88 saidhe was pleased that Williams' petition wasapproved. "It's great to have him back. He's avery key player," Dulsky said