To whom it may concern,

The following is a letter-to-the editor composed on behalf of the Graduate Student Organization of Boston University. We would like you to consider it for publication in your paper. I am currently serving as the Publicity Chairperson for the organization, and would be happy to answer any questions or make any necessary changes. My contact information is listed below.

Thank you in advance, Gillian Mason GSO Publicity 617-470-7409 [email protected]

Dear Editor,

We are writing today on behalf of the Graduate Student Organization (GSO) of Boston University in response to the comments of BU President John Silber reported in The Boston Globe last weekend (“Silber Defends Decision to Halt Teen Gay Alliance”: September 7, 2002 and “At BU, Silber Fights ‘Excess'”: September 8, 2002). We are the representative organization of the BU Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. The graduate students we represent are in the unique position of being at once teachers, students, and future alumna of the university. Since President Silber’s behavior has been brought into the public eye, we feel that it is necessary to respond publicly to his words and actions over the past week. First, we would like to respond to Silber’s allegations of “laziness” on the part of the university faculty. We, as students, have been consistently impressed by the overall quality of instruction provided by our faculty, and moreover, by their commitment to education. This is especially true of professors who teach the small classes Silber has branded inefficient. These faculty members manage to devote themselves equally to both students and research in order to reach students as individuals, a task which is made difficult by the already high (14 to 1) student-to-faculty ratio. We are worried that Silber has not fully consider the classroom-level implications of increasing that ratio even more – the increased burden on faculty, grad students, and most of all, the loss of educational quality for all students. Second, we wish to respond to Silber’s comment regarding the “excess” of women at BU and his elimination of the Academy Gay Straight Aliance. These actions set a dangerous precendent of limiting diversity and freedom of expression within the university. By highlighting gender, sexual orientation, and sexuality as possible corrupting factors within the community, he sends the message that the university tolerates discrimination based on these distinctions. Such intolerance is reflected further in the fact that the BU’s anti-discrimination clause does not prevent discrimination based on sexual orientation. We, as educators, want to cultivate an open and accepting atmosphere for our students, and we believe that Silber’s comments work directly against our goals. In the nineteenth century, Boston University was (according to the BU website) the first American university to open all of its divisions to women as well as the first to award a Ph.D. to a woman. Perhaps, in the twenty-first century, we should revisit those forgotten ideals of equal-opportunity and educational freedom. Silber’s rhetoric is unacceptable. We, as an organization, are troubled and embarrassed by the stigma that has come to be associated with the university. Silber’s comments tarnish the university name with which we will be affiliated for the rest of our professional and academic careers. Furthermore, his message fosters policies that limit discussion, discourage debate, and generate fear. Since no forum currently exists within the university, we have chosen to bring our dissenting opinion into a public forum to ensure the university and general community that Silber’s opinions do not constitute a representative voice for BU.

Sincerely, The Graduate Student Organization at Boston University