Withdrawing the motion
Bits and Pieces 2017-01-31
Summary:
Last week Dean Khurana announced the formation of a new committee to look at single-gender organizations--essentially what I and my colleagues have for months been urging. As a result, out of respect for the president and the dean and after consulting with the 11 co-signers, I withdrew the motion. This way we won't have a divisive debate at next week's FAS meeting over an issue that may prove to be moot. In withdrawing the motion I stated that it could be re-introduced if in the end the sanctions policy is reaffirmed. I include the full text of my letter below. The committee, which has not yet been appointed, has serious work to do; my letter mentions several questions it should consider. I am grateful for the broad support I have received for my motion; it is truly cheering to realize that so many faculty members, students, and alumni joined in my view that Harvard should not punish students for joining a club. Dean Khurana promises broad consultation on what might be done instead to address the problems that led him to announce the policy. Now is the time, it seems to me, to focus on constructive alternatives rather than continuing to argue about the announced sanctions regime. If we have to come back to that, we will, but for now, the challenge is, what should be done instead? -------------------- January 30, 2017
Dean Rakesh Khurana
University Hall
Dear Dean Khurana,
I am delighted that you, Dean Smith, and President Faust are taking a step back to engage the community in search of modifications or alternatives to the USGSO policy announced last spring. In the hope and expectation that the concerns we all share about student life can be addressed without a patronizing intervention into both students’ private lives and faculty prerogatives, I am, after consulting with my colleagues, withdrawing my motion. Of course, the principle articulated in the motion is no less important today than it was a few days ago. But with the immediate threat of injury and trespass on faculty rights somewhat tempered, it would not be a good use of Faculty time to debate a matter which may become operationally moot. If the policy is reaffirmed without adequate revision, however, I expect that the motion, or one similar to it, will be reintroduced.
The work of the new committee—and the likelihood of a consensus outcome—will be improved if open discussion is encouraged about exactly what “problems” need to be solved. The problem of noisy, out-of-control, dangerous alcoholic parties in buildings Harvard doesn’t own is very different from the problem of women’s unequal access to the financial and social power structure of the nation. The problem of sexual assault is very different from the problem of unsatisfactory House social life. The new committee has the opportunity to define what problems it wishes to solve, to base its recommended remedies in facts and reason, and to exercise a degree of humility about Harvard’s ability to solve those problems without creating or exacerbating other problems.
None of these problems is uniquely associated with USGSOs, nor are most of the USGSOs strongly associated with any one of these problems. As always, a standard for any policy in this area will be its success in targeting the problems where they actually exist while leaving individuals free to make private choices where those choices are not demonstrably problematic. At a time when Harvard is admirably standing against overbroad, protectionist national policies that injure members of our community, it would be sadly ironic if the university were to implement for that community overbroad policies of its own, policies that needlessly harm some of its members while attempting to control its most noxious elements. To date, the present policy has divided students, faculty, and alumni. While certainly not its intention, it has been clearly divisive.
In her recent comments to the Crimson, President Faust helpfully noted that we should try not to invite lawsuits. Of course, that is quite right, but it is worth remembering that lawsuits are typically successful because one party has unreasonably harmed another. Perhaps we could aim for that higher standard—not merely to avoid litigation, but to avoid unnecessary harm even if no lawsuit is forthcoming. Doing so would require open ears and introspection on why USGSOs are so popular—and especially why the off-campus women’s organizations are popular. President Faust herself, in her September 15 Gazetteinterview, suggested that she understood that women who join USGSOs are doing so for positive reasons. The committee—and ultimately you and
Link:
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