Council to Consider Divestment, Hiring Issues

In 1988, the Undergraduate Council turned its attention from Chuck Berry and chocolate milk to South African divestment and minority and women faculty hiring.

The council's actions in 1989, however, will tell whether the increased political activity was merely a one-semester phenomenon, or a longer-lasting change of heart toward activism to be reflected by the student government's agenda.

First the council will conduct midyear officer elections. Chair Kenneth E. Lee '89 recently announced that he would seek re-election to the student body's highest elected office. No council chair has failed to win re-election since the council's first year in 1983, and Lee's key opponent last fall, Frank E. Lockwood '89, has pledged his support.

On the activist slate, a new ad hoc committee on University investment will attempt to revive the issue of Harvard's South African stockholdings by sponsoring a February student petition drive. The committee also hopes to define the council's relations with an independent, divestment-linked student gift fund, the Endowment for Divestiture (E4D).

In addition, the committee is considering plans to host a panel discussion on divestment and has approached Sen. Albert J. Gore Jr. '69 (D-Tenn.) about taking part in the event.

Another litmus test of the council's intent will be its reaction to a faculty committee report on minority and women faculty hiring, expected to be released later this month.

The council last semester supported a more aggressive recruitment program for minority and women scholars. Last month, the council presented a petition including 2300 signatures demanding hiring reforms to committee chair Pforzheimer University Professor Sidney Verba '53.

But beyond single issues, activism may eventually become a permanent habit for the council.

The council is currently discussing a major change in its by-laws. Some council members advocate the election of the council chairperson by the entire student body, a change they say will promote a more activist student government.

In December, council members voted down a constitutional amendment that would have made the chairperson elected by the student body instead of by the council. The council deferred to students on the issue, voting to hold a binding, campus-wide referendum this spring.

Finally, on more traditional ground, the council this semester will follow up on last fall's popular appearance by reggae star Jimmy Cliff with another campus concert. Last year, the council failed in repeated efforts to host concerts.