In Episode 3 of Under Review, hosts Matteo Wong and Olivia Oldham try to understand what makes a diversity review successful — and what, exactly, defines success — by looking at the most important diversity review at Harvard from recent years.

Learn more about “I, Too, Am Harvard”

https://itooamharvard.tumblr.com/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIsd5gDuEBGIKLSa_vcJFlg

In Episode 2, hosts Matteo Wong and Olivia Oldham rewind 40 years to the story of the 1980 report, “A Study of Race Relations at Harvard College,” and ask why it seems to have been forgotten in recent University climate survey efforts.

Further reading on the model minority myth:

“‘Model Minority’ Myth Again Used As A Racial Wedge Between Asians And Blacks,” 4/19/2017, by Kat Chow on NPR’s Code Switch, https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2017/04/19/524571669/model-minority-myth-again-used-as-a-racial-wedge-between-asians-and-blacks

The Color of Success: Asian Americans and the Origins of the Model Minority by Ellen D. Wu

For Asian American history that goes beyond the model minority myth, The Making of Asian America: A History by Erika Lee.

Further reading on SFFA:

“Where Does Affirmative Action Leave Asian-Americans?”, 8/28/2019, Jay Caspian Kang, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/28/magazine/affirmative-action-asian-american-harvard.html

“The Uncomfortable Truth About Affirmative Action and Asian-Americans,” 8/10/2017, Jeannie Suk Gersen, https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/the-uncomfortable-truth-about-affirmative-action-and-asian-americans

“The Harvard Admissions Lawsuit, Explained,” 11/7/2016, Brittany N. Ellis, https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2016/11/7/harvard-admissions-lawsuit-explainer/

“The Harvard Admissions Lawsuit Decision, Analyzed,” 10/3/2019, Camille G. Caldera and Delano R. Franklin, https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2019/10/3/admissions-decision-explained/

“How SFFA Is Trying to Convince SCOTUS To Hear Its Suit Against Harvard,” 3/5/2021, Vivi E. Lu and Dekyi T. Tsotsong, https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2021/3/5/sffa-petitions-supreme-court/

Links for the “I, Too, Am Harvard Campaign”: 

https://itooamharvard.tumblr.com/

https://www.ahsantetheartist.com/diversity-at-harvard

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIsd5gDuEBGIKLSa_vcJFlg

How can Harvard, an institution with so much history, have so little memory? The racial reckonings and Black Lives Matter protests that swept the country this past summer brought attention to a trend in how Harvard seems to deal with student activism and concerns surrounding race, racism, and diversity: to commission a diversity review. These committees and reports long predate this summer, and reading them it can seem, at times, like some things have not changed at the University — in race relations, Harvard’s review process, or the findings and recommendations. What can these diversity reviews accomplish, and what can’t they?

“Under Review” is a podcast from The Harvard Crimson, hosted by Matteo Wong and Olivia Oldham, chairs of The Crimson’s weekly magazine, Fifteen Minutes. Each week, they will explore controversies and diversity reviews stretching across 40 years of Harvard history, speaking to dozens of students, activists, experts, and more, to try and understand how the Harvard diversity review works — or doesn’t.

“Under Review” is produced by Zing Gee. Music by Ian Chan. Art by Meera S. Nair.