College Deficit Makes Fund Donations Vital

Contributions for this year's Harvard Fund drive are more essential than ever, President Conant revealed to seniors in a letter ever the weekend, because the University is again operating at a deficit.

Conant's letter said: "The Provost reports that we are in a very tight budgetary situation in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Our deficit for the current year, while not large, is a real deficit."

Last year the Faculty of Arts and Sciences made money to the amount of $182,000, and the year before, it emerged victorious to the tune of $770,000.

Scholarship Income Insufficient

Reasons for the deficit were not given explicitly in the appeal to alumni, but Conant did mention that "We have been spending for scholarships about one hundred thousand dollars a year more than our scholarship income." The athletic deficit has also been a perennial source of trouble for the University.

The President's plea for funds also emphasized the fact that the College is at present giving scholarships to a significantly smaller proportion of students than either Yale or Princeton, and that it is "losing scores of promising boys because of our inability to help."

Along with Conant's letter, seniors received a request from the Class Agents, asking them to contribute to the Fund, from which money is applied to the Class Gift. This money is turned over to the University in the 25th Reunion Year. Interest from the Fund goes to current operating expenses.