When dealing with the average Third World student, two questions must be asked: does his or her school offer the student who attends it the opportunity' to participate in extracurricular activities; and, does the student have time to participate in those activities offered. The question of how the admissions office percieves those activities participated in by Third World students is also important. Is the conga player seen as important as the violin players? He should--be after all, the conga is as important an instrument in Third World culture as the violin is in white society--but the admissions office does not seem to agree.

One final consideration given during the admissions process is geographic distribution. Harvard sees itself as a national university, and it strives to have students from all over the country. Harvard will reject a student solely because he or she comes from a geographic area that the admissions office feels is overrepresented. Over 50 per cent of all Puerto Ricans living in the continental U.S. live in New York City, so obviously when Harvard limits the applicants it accepts from New York City it adds another barrier on the path to more Puerto Ricans coming to Harvard.

The recruitment effort this year, as in past years, has been a long trail of disappointments' and frustrations because of the admissions office's refusal to commit itself to Third World students. This year's budget, like everything else concerning student recruitment, was acquired after a long struggle. Still, the budget was insufficient to cover all the areas that needed to be covered. Later the office had the gall to require that some staff travel come out of the student budget. The students were entangled in an increasing web of bureaucratic responsibilities. Endless letter writing, continuing deadlines, forms of all types and shapes all made it difficult for students to work on their prime responsibility--recruitment.

Bakke Backlash

The only Native American recruiting trip was arbitrarily cancelled. After students had been promised input into the hiring of Third World admissions staff, such input was ignored. The Puerto Rican students were asked to suggest candidates for a part-time admissions position that would be concerned with Puerto Rican admissions and recruitment. Several candidates were recommended, but the recommended were ignored in favour of a candidate hand-picked by L. Fred Jewett '57, dean of admissions and financial aid, who did not even have to go through the normal application process.

Finally, an example of the backlash of the Bakke case was the abolishment of the Minority Review Committee, which reviewed decisions of the admissions committee not to accept Third World students. This had been the only opportunity that Third World student had to be understood on their own grounds. But despite all the trouble, minority student recruiters are still responsible for the bulk of the outreach to inner city and Third World high schools--which is why we must keep and expand our toehold.

There is a need for Third World people to recruit their own. Staff people insensitive to the experience of Third World people cannot and will not do a good job recruiting people they do not understand. Nor will they do a good job evaluating them. What is needed are more full-time Third World admissions officers, officers who share the same background as the large majority of Third World applicants.

These officers could more clearly recognize the strengths of Third World candidates, and have a better understanding of the role that a Harvard education can play in meeting the needs of the Third World community. What is not needed are Uncle Tom staff people--and the only way to guarantee this not happening is to have student input on the final selection process.

We are making a demand for recognition of our uniqueness, as Third World people. It is a recognition that Harvard gives to athletes, musicians, and alumni children, but not us. Until recognition of our uniqueness is made Harvard cannot claim to be a truly diverse, hence great, university. Unless Harvard uses and legitimizes those people best able to recognize and understand the talents of Third World students and staff, these goals will never be achieved. This recognition must be a dynamic process, not merely as compensation for past oppression, but as acknowledgement of the fact that Third World people comprise a large and growing proportion of this nation's population--a portion of the population that will no longer accept being denied the wealth and opportunity they helped create.