IOP Welcomes Students

To the editors:

I write on behalf of all 12 members of the Institute of Politics (IOP) Programming Committee, all six student members of the Director’s Task Force, 10 additional former members of the Student Advisory Committee (SAC), nine members of the IOP staff and IOP director David Pryor.

We are puzzled by The Crimson’s call to eliminate the student role at the IOP (Editorial, “Deja Vu at the IOP,” April 24). Since the Institute’s founding in 1966, students and staff alike have remained committed to ensuring that undergraduates are deeply involved in Institute activities.

We are also troubled by The Crimson’s assertion that the former members of SAC undermined the Institute’s mission by interfering with programming efforts. The careless leveling of such a profoundly damaging and absolutely untrue accusation harms all involved.

The IOP is a unique organization, where staff and students must work cooperatively to ensure interesting, diverse programming for students and the Harvard community at large. The restructuring process undertaken this year aims to enhance our ability to work together and to create trust, openness and responsiveness to the student body at large.

We count on The Crimson to uphold the highest editorial standards, and we hope that its misstatements with regard to former SAC members and the student role at the Institute of Politics do not foster a harmful impression around campus that students have no place at the IOP.

Robert F. McCarthy ’02