Controversy hits Harker at Delaware

Former Wharton Dean Patrick Harker didn't take long to start making waves again in the higher-education world.

Just months after leaving Penn to assume the presidency at the University of Delaware, Harker and the school have made headlines after his suspension of the Residence Life Escalation Program, a residential program that encouraged students to address diversity issues.

The four-year-old program generated criticism last week from a Philadelphia-based civil-liberties advocacy group, The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education.

FIRE branded Delaware's diversity-training program an "Orwellian . ideological re-education" that was a "flagrant violation of students' rights," forcing students to discuss their personal views on race and sexuality with resident assistants.

According to FIRE's Web site, the program included such goals as "students will recognize that systemic oppression exists in our society" and "students will recognize the benefits of dismantling systems of oppression."

In an Oct. 29 letter to Harker, FIRE director of legal and public advocacy Samantha Harris called for the "immediate and total dismantling" of the program.

Michael Gilbert, Delaware's vice president for student life, responded on behalf of Harker, saying the program had been misrepresented and defending its existence.

But the next day, Harker called for the suspension of the program for the rest of the academic year.

In an open letter to the university, Harker wrote that there were implementation problems that may have interfered with the program's goals.

The ultimate decision to terminate the program, he said, was made after recommendations by Gilbert and director of residence life Kathleen Kerr.

Harker would not comment on the specifics of the curriculum because, he said, he did not know enough about it.

Gilbert did not return requests for comment and Kerr declined to comment.

And though the program itself is nothing new, FIRE President Greg Lukianoff said "it has intensified in the past year."

Once FIRE began to criticize the program, students reached out to the organization but insisted on anonymity for fear of retribution by the university.

Karen, a Delaware who requested that her last name be omitted from this article for these reasons, said the residence-life program was not the best way to promote discussion about diversity.

Former Delaware student Dan Lahar, who was a residential advisor for two years before transferring out of the school, added it was difficult to go against the university.

"As a resident assistant, it's really not good to challenge them. . They'll try to change your mind," he said.

At the moment, Penn has one residential program called "Living Cultures" in Riepe College House that deals with issues of diversity.

It is unlikely the program will follow a similar path because the Residential Advisory Board reviews residential programs to gauge student reaction and perspective, RAB chairman and College senior Ed Berchick said.

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