November 1971

On November 1, the FBI begins questioningLaurence H. Tribe '62 and other Harvard Law Schoolprofessors about their criticism of PresidentNixon's list of possible Supreme Court nominees.

Within a month, President Bok and Dean of theLaw School Albert M. Sacks write to the U.S.Attorney General, asking him to call off the FBIprobe.

December 1971

Meanwhile, on December 2, Tribe and 20 lawschool professors write a letter to the Senate,calling into question the competence of Nixonnominee William H. Rehnquist. However, Rehnquistis confirmed by the Senate on December 10.

In other campus news, a semi-secret Bow Streetorganization that was still occasionallypublishing a so-called humor magazine admits itsfirst two women staff members, and student groupsprotest the work of Psychology Professor RichardJ. Herrnstein.

Herrnstein had written an article predictingthe stratification of society along IQ levels dueto the genetic inheritance of intelligence.

January 1972

When President Bok gives his first address tothe University's Board of Overseers on January 11,he claims the campus has become quieter and moreinterested in learning--and points to libraryrecords as evidence of this trend. On January 25,President Nixon shocks the world by announcingsecret negotiations with the North Vietnamese thathad brought the U.S. closer to a peace accorduntil Hanoi ceased sending its representative tothe talks, citing "illness" as an excuse.

February 1972

On February 9, a term paper stolen from thedesk of a Government 229 professor is found byCrimson reporters at Termpapers Anonymous, aBoston term paper supplier.

The paper had been taken along with 40 otherpapers from History, English and Social Relationsclasses at Harvard. Minutemen Research, aN.Y.-area-based term paper firm had sold the paperto Termpapers Anonymous, and 23 other term papersfrom Harvard were found at its offices as well.

March 1972

On March 3, President Bok selects Charles P.Whitlock to become the next Dean of the College inan uncontroversial nomination. Later that month, adecision to discontinue the Staff TuitionScholarship (STS) for teaching fellows (TFs)prompts graduate student TFs to unionize. On March23, the organized union calls a one-day boycott ofclasses, urging TFs not to teach and students notto attend classes. However, the strike nevermaterializes, and the University does notreconsider its elimination of the STS program.

April 1972