Word: acsr
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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...University has responses for all of these issues. And disregarding the arguments about complete divestment, it is clear that the aCSR has been nothing more than a lightning rod. It simply diverts attention from the Corporation, misleading the community by implying that public opinion may be heeded. Moreover, one year after the ACSR voted to recommend that the Corporation divest completely, this year's ACSR, more than half of whom are newly appointed, voted last week to deviate from its recent stance in three major ways, all of which limit its scope of influence...
THESE MOVES demonstrate clearly that the ACSR is not interested being a democratic body, representative of community concern. Members argue they are not directly accountable to faculty, student, and alumni groups, from which they are chosen in an undemocratic process controlled by President Bok. Moreover, these three recent decisions also indicate that some members were selected this year more for their interest in finance than for their concern about apartheid. In marked contrast to last year's vote for total divestment, this group has opted to devote itself only to intensive dialogue...
...history of the ACSR is complicated and controversial. But it is clear that concerned activists have relied upon the group as their only legitimate means of voicing opinions on investments. Harvard has benefited greatly from its existence, not because it helps form an ethnical policy, but because it provides a pseudo-representative forum of ideas which take heat off the corporation, diffusing criticism...
...essential that the ACSR be democratic and representative; without these qualities, it is entirely superfluous. The Undergraduate Council recognized this fact when it threatened recently to remove its member from the board unless the ACSR made democratic reforms. Each group of affiliates must hold democratic elections. Student and faculty votes must be taken campus-wide, and alumni and as-yet-unrepresented staff should be polled. The ACSR's recommendations might ormight not change, but theyw ould at least be fair and representative of the board's constituency, and activists would have a forum to voice concerns without having to resort...
...ACSR was created to bolster the Corporation's image of concern for critical opinion. But Harvard must understand that maintaining that image depends upon being honest, and not making token gestures to the community. It must open up the ACSR to popular election and deal head-to-head with popular views...