Athletic Complex

Harvard's fund drive for the $17.5 million Soldiers Field Athletic Complex is the nearest thing the University has to an old-time backslapping money-raising campaign. Friendly phone calls, pushed admissions applications and building christenings could possibly all be part of the University's fund-raising repertoire.

John Reardon '60, director of admissions, heads the drive because he has enormous contacts with the alumni. As one solicited alumnus said. "Putting Reardon on the drive is a sure way to make sure that alumni will respond to the drive."

After sitting down and compiling a list of 8000 living Harvard varsity athletes by both sport and class, the fund raisers began their initial soliciation in the fall of 1974. It's only been a little more than a year since then, but Reardon's team has already raised $12 million after contacting 25 donors--including one alumnus who gave $2 million. The fund raisers are so confident now, with the drive entering its second level of soliciation, that they plan to start ground breaking in May when they expect to have $17.5 million pledged.

The Development Office has an alumnus worth several million dollars to the project on the line right now. But they can't reel him in just yet; he's holding out pending his son's acceptance to Harvard. This year, another potential donor may kick in a fairly large sum, once he's assured that a building will bear his name.

Reardon said yesterday that he has "no knowledge of these particular instances," and added that he would be strongly opposed if someone "tried to influence the admission process on that kind of basis."

Scheduled for construction is a 50-meter swimming pool, an ice hockey rink that is convertible to a convocation hall, field house and track, wrestling room, auxiliary gymnasium, and fencing room. Briggs Cage, Watson Rink, Dillion Field House and the tadium will be renovated under the plans.

Tied to the Soldiers Field development is a drive to raise $30 million for an Observatory Hill sports complex.

Located near the Quad, Observatory Hill will be devoted exclusively to recreational and intramural sports such as swimming, dance, basketball and gymnasium activities. Major reasons for the new construction include both the outmoded conditions of many of Harvard's sport facilities as well as the inability of the current facilities to meet the HEW Title IX guidelines of sex-discrimination without severely cutting back in recreational, intramural and male intercollegiate activities.