Occupation of Cole Science Center (1972)

Members of the Third World Organization occuped Cole Science on May 1st, 1972, in response to the imperatives they submitted to the administration the week before; it is the first student takeover since Hampshire opened.

This first occupation of a campus building by student activists is represented by two letters to the Hampshire community, the first from the Third World Organization, and the second from President Charles R. Longsworth.

May 2, 1972
To: The Hampshire College Community From: The Third World Organization

On the morning of May 1, 1972, The Third World Organization of Hampshire College, in response to the administration's failure to answer its imperatives, occupied the Science/Administration Building. Over the past two days and in response to that occupation negotiations have been going on between the administration and the Third World Organization. While those negotiations have not yet ended and while some of the issues raised by the occupation have not been entirely resolved, the administration, in the person of Charles Longsworth, has agreed:

1. Implicitly, that the Third World Organization be recognized as an official organization comprised of blacks, Latinos, and Asians, and be dealt with as an organizational entity representative of those groups. 2. That in response to the Third World Organization there would be forthcoming an Affirmative Action Plan which presumably would be a positive response to the various issues raised. 3. That there would be a Budget Priorities Committee which would include elected members of the Hampshire College Community with Third World students and other financial aid students participating. 4. That there would be recruitment at all levels and from among all populations of Third World peoples. 5. That a central Third World Candidates' File would be created in approximately one week and open for review. 6. That in recruitment of qualified Third World faculty and administrative personnel, the College would be exploring channels not normally used. This recruitment would take active as well as passive forms, i.e., the deans, when traveling, would check resources given to them by the Third World Organization. 7. That Third World members be consulted for summer interviewing of faculty and staff and be informed of summer hiring as in the academic year. 8. That among the college's priorities would be a significant increase in the Third World population. 9. That President Longsworth and a Third World representative would, in mutual consultation, draw up a statement concerning the Third World and the school's present priorities, for distribution for the college catalog and various other appropriate publications.

It was further agreed that President Longsworth would communicate the gist of these negotiations, indicating his support of the above, via a memo, to all those members of the faculty and administration with responsibilities for the school's programs and implementation.

The Third World Organization, in turn, has agreed:

1. That it will list people who can interview candidates in certain areas over the summer. 2. That it will provide a letter of information to be sent to active candidates as part of all introductory materials.

The Third World Organization felt that increasing the student population significantly, would require firm commitment and policy. The president felt unable to commit himself because of the financial aid situation. The Third World Organization felt the policy of the financial aid Board should be determined by an autonomous committee, the majority of which shall be comprised of faculty and students. No formulation of a financial aid policy should be made without consultation of the Third World and other financial aid students. Agreement by the President is pending clarification. These two issues, therefore, remain unresolved. There was agreement in principle to increased representation of the Third World perspective in the curriculum. Responsibility for the implementation of this, lies with the individual schools and with the Academic Council.

We consider that a beginning has been made in negotiations and are therefore leaving the building. We expect immediate implementation of those items upon which agreement has been reached. We look forward to further negotiations which will dictate our future actions.

We look forward to hearing your responses to this letter in a general community meeting, to be announced soon.

May 3, 1972
To: Members of Hampshire College From: Charles R. Longsworth

The Third World Organization and I have reached agreement on a number of points and have agreed that there are a number of issues unresolved as a result of our discussions of the past two days.

The following represents the points of agreement as I understand and am prepared to support them:

1. The key to further representation of Third World persons lies in finding more eligible candidates. Hampshire College has focused attention on Black candidates to the disadvantage of Latino and Asian candidates. Henceforth, all units of the College searching for candidates for appointment to faculty, administrative or staff positions, shall seek candidates from all elements of the Third World community. 2. There shall be created for open access by Third World Organization members, a central Third World candidate's file to which each budget unit of the College with position openings shall submit information sufficient to enable an interested inquirer to learn of progress or lack of progress in appointing persons, and reasons for being not accepted or for turning down the position. The file is to be located in the office of the Dean, the Vice-President, or the President, and that information shall begin within about a week. 3. The Third World Organization has provided additional sources of candidates for Latinos and Blacks. I welcome the prospect of receiving also sources for Asian professionals. These sources are primarily passive and activation depends on personal contact with the organizations by the Hampshire faculty, students, and administrators. To that end, all persons traveling on behalf of the College will be instructed to try to include in their trips possible sources of Third World candidates and to inform in advance the Third World Organization (Box 879) when a trip is planned where such visitations may be feasible. 4. A list of Third World persons on campus or in the area, as well as the proposed list of persons available to do interviewing in other parts of the country this summer is most welcome and the persons so listed will be invited to conduct or participate in interviews as appropriate. 5. A letter from the Third World community to prospective employees or appointees at the time of their initial contact with the College would be helpful and welcome. 6. I agree that person to person contact is of great importance. I hope that person to person contact between Third World persons and myself will increase and that we all can have greater personal contact with applicants. 7. It is my plan to forward immediately to the offices involved a copy of this memorandum with instructions to all budget managers to implement and observe these procedures. 8. A statement of the College's intentions with regard to increasing the representation of Third World persons and of building a curriculum with relevance to Third World interests will be drafted for discussion with me. Such a statement will be included in the next catalog of the College. 9. I confirm my commitment to work to have instituted at Hampshire College an Affirmative Action Plan. My definition of an Affirmative Action Plan includes a statement of ideals, the establishment of specific goals with regard to the composition of the various constituencies of the College as determined by race, sex, and other factors of importance to the people of the College, and the establishment of policies and procedures to implement the plan and evaluate its progress. An initial discussion of the plan will be held on Tuesday, May 2, at the meeting of the Executive Committee of the Academic Council. The Third World Organization will participate in the origin and review of the proposal and in its acceptance by the College. 10. The Alternate Means Committee will be asked to complete its proposal now in draft form and to justify the tentative financial conclusions reached with regard to fiscal year 1975. 11. The Alternate Means Committee will be asked to analyze and report on the "Proposal for Increased Diversity in the Hampshire Community and for Increased Financial Aid" as part of the May 1, Third World Organization memorandum. 12. The duties of the Personnel Officer are to be defined. Suggestions of candidates from Third World Organization will be sought and participation by Third World Organization members in candidate reviews is expected 13. Candidates will be sought from Third World Organization members for the yet unfilled Assistant master and Resident Associate positions in Houses III and IV, and for available positions, if any, in Merrill House and Dakin House. 14. The composition, status, and membership of the College Priorities and Resources Committee, as proposed in my state of the College address, will be defined and the Committee formed. 15. I will consider a proposal for the administration of financial aid when forwarded by student representatives.

My own commitment is to work to achieve a significant increase in the proportion of Third World persons in the faculty, student body and staff of Hampshire College. I regard an increase in Third World representatives and an increase in financial aid funds as high priorities of the College.

As a result of these agreements, the Third World Organization ended its closing of the Science Building on Tuesday evening.