Students Urge Action On Ethnic Studies

Students representing Students for Diversity and Ethnic Studies (STUDIES) met with President Rudenstine last Thursday to discuss what they see as inaction regarding the issue of ethnic studies at Harvard.

Hyewon T. Chong '95, the Academic Affairs Chair for the Harvard Foundation, said that STUDIES presented Rudenstine with a petition signed by more than 600 students calling for the administration to increase diversity in the faculty and curriculum at Harvard University.

Chong said she and others who circulated the petition are attempting to show broad-based support for ethnic studies.

Jean L. Tom '96, a member of the Minority Student Alliance, attended the meeting with Rudenstine.

"As usual, President Rudenstine seemed very supportive, but he didn't seem to have any concrete plans," Tom said. "That is why we brought our list of demands and hopes to his attention."

The meeting followed a similar one with Dean of the Faculty Jeremy R. Knowles the day before.

"We presented our letter to Dean Knowles last Wednesday and we met with President Rudenstine [the next day]," Chong said.

The letter sent to Knowles detailed STUDIES's goals for the establishment of ethnic studies at Harvard.

These goals were established by members of the Harvard/Radcliffe Minority Student Alliance, the Harvard Foundation's Academic Affairs Committee and other students at a March 20 meeting.

Among their demands was the establishment of a permanent ethnic studies faculty position in at least three fields--Asian-American Studies, American Latino Studies and Native American Studies increased recruitment of minority faculty; and the establishment of a multicultural student center where minority organizations can have permanent office space.

Tom said that permanent offices for minority student groups are needed to insure the continuity of their existence.

Further suggestions made to Knowles included keeping an open dialogue with students as to the progress of these goals.

Tom said that although no substantial plans were made, STUDIES members are glad that the administration has something to work with during the summer.

"We plan to reiterate our demands in the fall," Tom said.