As parents and students took their seats in Science Center B for the panel discussion on diversity, the protesters followed, flanking the walls of the auditorium while the panelists spoke.

The program, titled "Celebrating Diversity in the Community," featured Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III. Cabot Professor of the Natural Sciences John E. Dowling '57, BSA President Zaheer R. Ali '94, former Hillel Coordinating Council Chair Shai A. Held '94 and Ilana S. Ruskay '94, a member of Response.

The panelists addressed several of the issues raised by the protesters, including Harvard's response to Mansfield's remarks, the lack of minority faculty and the absence of Asian-American representation on the panel.

Epps said that faculty and administrators have a responsibility to improve the atmosphere for minorities at the College.

"Faculty and administration need to accept more responsibility," Epps said. "We tend to rely too much on the students to bring these issues to the fore."

Ali said "the institution places a burden on the student population but not the College."

"Maybe there is no interest [in] improving race relations, and the only way of convincing me is through your actions," Ali said to Epps.

Dowling said that Harvard is working to make its faculty and staff more diverse, attributing the slow pace of the process to the low faculty turnover rate.

"Academia, unfortunately, isn't held in high esteem by many minority communities," Dowling said, adding that many minority college graduates pursue the professional, not academic, route.

But Ali responded that "other schools don't have the same problems," noting that Black students may be intimidated by the academic profession because "we don't see role models--going into academia is like going into isolation from the [Black] community."

Audience member Charlene Morisseau '95 chastised Harvard's Black faculty members for failing to act as role models for Black students, and for not responding to Mansfield's comments.

"Where are the minority faculty when we need them?" Morisseau asked. "I should not have to feel alone when I'm fighting these battles."

At times, the atmosphere in the room became heated.

Dowling said he strongly disagreed with Mansfield's argument. "In my view, that's rubbish," he said.

One parent referred to the lack of Asian-Americans on the panel as "insensitive" of the administration.