STANFORD UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
STANFORD MEDICAL CENTER
PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA 94304

DEPARTMENT OF GENETICS August 16 1967 Area Code 415
’

321-1200

Dr. Grayson Kirk
President

Columbia University
New York, New York

Dear Dr. Kirk:

Dr. Alan Garen, Professor of Molecular Biophysics at Yale University, has
sent me a copy of his letter of August 7 to Dean Merritt of the College of
Physicians and Surgeons.

I have to say that the University's participation in the promotion of the
Strickmann filter left me with the same odious impression as it did for
Dr. Garen, and I have been pondering for some time whether to write you
about this. I am sorry to have to say that I was even pleased to see
Herblock's cartoon as a more pointed form of criticism than I could pos-
sibly produce myself. I believe that these criticisms are entirely jus~
tified and I am deeply distressed that the University should have found
itself in such an untenable position.

Nii N

My personal loyalty to Columbia deters me from making such a vehement
public protest as is implied by Dr. Garen's boycott of the bi-centennial
celebration in October. I realize that it is not possible for you to act
on instantaneous notice to reverse a particularly unfortunate decision.

It is, therefore, my intention to wait for a reasonable period of time for
some more convincing justification of the University's position, or for a
reversal of its policy before I address myself publicly to this question.

At this moment I do feel considerably less honored by the prospect of an
honorary degree from Columbia than I had before this affair. In the expec-
tation that there may, in the long run, be some better reconciliation, I
would not now refuse to accept such an award. However, I believe it impor-
tant to apprise you, and through you, the Board, of my views on this subject
and now that you know my profoundly critical position on it, to give you
the opportunity of reconsidering the award of such an honor in that light.
I would have to reserve the privilege of expressing my criticism of the
University in public time on this issue, in spite of having accepted such
an honor, and notwithstanding the added vehemence that might attach to a
protest under these circumstances.

LT. J. P. KENNEDY, JR. LABORATORIES FOR MOLECULAR MEDICINE, DEDICATED TO RESEARCH IN MENTAL RETARDATION
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY HEREDITY NEUROBIOLOGY DEVELOPMENTAL MEDICINE
Dr. Grayson Kirk August 16, 1967
Page 2

As a practical matter, and to minimize the irrelevant embarrassment to the
University, I would be happy to volunteer my deferral of such a degree if
you feel that it would be inappropriate for me to accept it in the light
of this controversy.

Sincerely yours,

fostua Lederberg

Professor of Genetics