LETTERS TO THE EDITOR (07/11/99)

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Joint Conferences: thanks to volunteers

Dear Editor:

The Joint Conferences of Ukrainian American Organizations, which was held June 23-27 in and around Washington has come to a close. The success of this event can be measured both by the overwhelmingly large and unexpected participation and by the unanimous calls for its repetition.

As a result of tireless work by many people within each participating organization, each conference presented fascinating and unique sessions that far exceeded the expectations of the registrants. Many well-earned kudos go to the presidents of each of the organizations, and to their hard-working volunteers.

It is especially important to recognize the outstanding efforts of those people who worked for the benefit of the entire Joint Conferences, beyond the requirements of their own particular organizations. Their massive work, mostly behind the scenes, deserves full recognition and our sincerest gratitude.

Unfortunately, it is impossible to thank every single person who has made a valuable contribution to the Joint Conferences by name. But of those who shouldered much more than their share of the planning, organization and implementation needed to realize the Joint Conferences, Ulana Baczynsky of the architects, and Nusia and Steve Kerda of the credit union association clearly stand out. In addition, Dr. Maria Hrycelak, Dr. and Mrs. Bohdan Iwanetz, Drs. George and Sophie Hrycelak, Dr. Zirka Kalynych and Phil Michel of the Ukrainian Medical Association, and Zwen Goy of the Ukrainian Institute of America also carried the yeoman's share of the logistics work of the conference.

I also want to thank Roman Stelmach, Maria Lischak, Wawa Baczynskyj and Luba Shara for expending much extra effort on our behalf, and especially to thank Talia Taran-Lisowsky, UMANA's administrative secretary, for her invaluable dedication to this project.

Finally, to all the people who attended the Joint Conferences, and to all those who expressed their appreciation for the vision, work and time that went into the making of this event, we all sincerely appreciate your attendance and your warm support of this historic event.

Roman A. Goy, M.D.
Baltimore

The writer was coordinator of the Joint Conferences of Ukrainian American Organizations.

Harvard must clarify issue of "Chronicles"

Dear Editor:

While it is true that the publisher of "The Russian Chronicles: A Thousand Years that Changed the World" listed two individuals, Prof. Lunt and Prof. Omeljan Pritsak of the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute, in the "Special Acknowledgment" and did not specifically include the institute, the fact that they were identified as professors at "Harvard Ukrainian Institute, Cambridge, United States of America" invariably conveys in the minds of the uninitiated and less knowledgeable readers an aura of authority generally associated with learned institutions - in this case, the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute. Thus, there is the appearance of legitimimacy of Russian claims to Ukrainian history, at least indirectly, by virtue of the association of said professors with the institute.

Although I believe Robert De Lossa's claims ("'Skewed history' and Harvard," June 13) that HURI and the aforementioned professors had no control over the book's content or final product, the damage has been done. The professors owe the Ukrainian American community an explanation of their role, if any, in this book - especially since the professors were the only ones honored by the special acknowledgment. As individuals, they may do as they please. However, as scholars, they ought to be aware of the time-honored and widely known and respected requirement by universities and other academic institutions that faculty clearly identify their views as personal opinions and guard against implied, even inadvertent, association of their views with the position of their institutions, especially on controversial issues.

I support Mr. De Lossa's recommendation that Ukrainian Americans buy HURI's publications for themselves and for local libraries. Yet, this will not resolve the issue at hand, because, most likely, very few - if any - of the hundreds, perhaps thousands, of the readers of "The Russian Chronicles" will read, much less purchase, these publications. Therefore, it is incumbent upon HURI to clarify this matter with the publisher of "The Russian Chronicles" and to demand immediate retraction of its name from the special acknowledgment, lest its name lends inadvertent and unintended support to false claims to Ukraine's history.

Z. Lew Melnyk, Ph.D.
Cincinnati

The writer is professor emeritus of finance at the University of Cincinnati.

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