Document 35

14 October 1998

John B. Fox, Jr.
Secretary of the Faculty
University Hall 1
Harvard University
Cambridge, MA 02138

Dear Mr. Fox:

Thank you for your letter of September 17.

In fact, my letter to Dean Knowles of August 27 was not intended to be a formal complaint pursuant to the "Guidelines for the Resolution of Faculty Grievances," dated 1983, which you enclosed in your letter. However, Professor Nesson, Mr. Feinberg, and I are grateful to the Dean's Office for making the "Guidelines" available.

As Matthew Feinberg explained in his letter to Dean Knowles of September 17, we have always understood our appeal to be from President Rudenstine's decision, and we continue to doubt the authority of the Dean's Office to overturn or alter a decision of the President. Indeed, we see no indication in the "Guidelines" that you sent me that the Dean's Office is authorized to review Presidential decisions or provide remedies should those decisions be found to be compromised by faulty process.

Nevertheless, I am happy to take advantage of all available Harvard procedures for resolving my grievances. Therefore, in accordance with stage 1 of the "Guidelines," which explains that, "A faculty member with a concern should, in the first instance, take the matter to the appropriate department chair," I will arrange a meeting with Professor Roderick MacFarquhar, Chair of the Government Department. Along with Professor Nesson and Mr. Feinberg, I will explain my reasons for believing that "proper procedures" were not followed in the process by which President Rudenstine reached his decision to deny my tenure. If Professor MacFarquhar and I are unable to reach a mutually satisfactory resolution, I will then, in accordance with stage 2 of the "Guidelines," proceed to take the matter up with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Carol J. Thompson.

Thank you again for your assistance.

Sincerely,

Peter Berkowitz
Associate Professor of Government

Cc: Dean Jeremy R. Knowles
President Neil L. Rudenstine