In fact, some conservative students claim the administration has a double standard when it comes to free speech by liberal and conservative groups.

"If similar incidents were to occur against vocal liberal groups, I'd be willing to guess that the University would come down much harder," Wheatley says. "There would be a much larger outcry if there were offensive material posted on the door of say, BGLTSA [Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, Transgendered and Supporters Alliance] members."

But Epps stresses that the administration supports free speech and tolerance for every student--and every group--on campus.

"The history of our response has been to firmly condemn bias against any group no matter what form," Epps says.

"I would...caution members of the college to honor everyone's right to be a member of this college no matter their political persuasion and to call for a civil debate of these issues," he says.

Consensus on Conservatism

Although Epps calls conservatism at Harvard "a fairly viable voice," many students--liberal and conservative--agree it is a voice which often falls on unwelcoming ears.

Marco B. Simons '97, a council member and co-sponsor of the transgender amendment, says liberal students consider themselves tolerant because they accept differences in religious affiliation or sexual identity.

Liberal students' tolerance often ends at ideology, says Simons, who called the swastika letters "absolutely inappropriate."

"As much as we, the left, would like to consider ourselves tolerant and open to opposing viewpoints, I don't think the left or the liberal community always engages in appropriate forms of discourse," he says.

Seth D. Hanlon '98, former president of the Harvard-Radcliffe College Democrats says there should be more outrage over the recent threats received by conservative students.

"People don't have the same sort of gut reactions when conservatives are being bashed or called a Nazi, but I think they should because it's completely inappropriate," Hanlon says. "It doesn't contribute to intelligent political discourse."

But other students say there is no difference in the way liberal and conservative students are treated on campus.

"I do not see any organized effort to curtail the ability of conservatives to express their beliefs on campus," says Micah S. Myers '00, co-director of the Civil Liberties Union of Harvard (CLUH).

"I believe that they have the same rights as people on all parts of the political spectrum to express their ideas," he says.