Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III says he has noticed the change on campus.

"There's more pragmatism and less risk taking," he says.

While he acknowledges the existence of less vocal forms of activism, Daniel T. Morgan '99--who co-leads the Progressive Students Labor Movement (PSLM)--says alternative means are sometimes needed to accomplish set goals.

"There is a fundamental lack of a strong activist display on campus," he says. However, "sometimes you just have to go out there."

He says a more discussion- and collaboration-based form of activism at Harvard leaves something to be desired.

"Thirty person rallies do look pathetic," he admits. "But people automatically become more interested if there are 300 people. There's a feeling of empowerment through rallies."

Making a Bridge

Why not more activism?

Not because of student apathy, activists say.

"It's not a question of apathy as much as having differing experiences and different ideas," says Ian T. Simmons '99, who has been involved in a variety of activist issues both in and out of the College.

Instead, they say the problem lies in increasing pre-professionalism, a greater degree of involvement with extracurriculars and the lack of unifying issues like those of the late '60s and early '70s.

"You do have a substantial number of people who are in one way committed to those goals. But there are pressures that we experience that make it difficult to organize while being an undergraduate here," she says.

Morgan also contests the claim of apathy. He points to the mobilization of students to protest the reintroduction of grapes to the dining halls as a good example of activism.

"Fifteen hundred people voted [against the return of grapes] and that's an incredible number of people," he says.

But at the same time, many say that students are increasingly involved with studies and extracurricular activities.