Kennedy School Picks Fraser To Be Its First Wurf Fellow

The Kennedy School has national former United Auto Workers (UAW) President Douglar Fraser as its First Jerry Wurt Fellow. The $1 million endowed position was given to the K-School in 1983 by the American Federation of State, Country and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) in honor of the president of the union.

Fraser, who will be available two or three days a week at the K-Scholl will teat in the Harvard Frade Union program which brings approximately 30 trade union leaders Froen across the country to Harvard. The new Wait Fellow will also teach a series of special seminars at the K-School Institute of Polities to undergraduates and graduate students.

"It a list of the top live leading American trade unionists were made; he'd be on any one's list," David Irons director of external affairs at the K-School said yesterday. "It's my feeling that when someone like Doug Fraser is available, you grab him up."

The selection process for the annual Wurl Fellowship occurs in consultation with AFSCME according to K-School Executive Dean Hale Champign. "we were looking for people who would meet the criteria of the AESCME and would also meet the general needs of the Kennedy School," Champion said yesterday.

Only eight to 10 other people have received special fellowship positions in the past at the K-School, Champion added. These included Richard Wald vice president of the American Broadcasting Corporation. The Wurf Fellow is the only endowed K-School pending Champion said.

Considsered a progressive trade almost by his colleagues. Praser has attentive record in Labour organzing from his beginnings as a metal brusher in the DeSoto plant of the Chrysler Corporation at age 18. Fraser became an aide to IAW president Walter Reuther and eventually president himself.

In 1980 he became a member of the Board of Directors of Chrysler, the first time a UAW member had won representation on the board of any auto manufacturer. He was elected vice president of the AFSCMI in 1981 and at that there led the UAW back into the organization after a 13 year absence.

Fraser is currently teaching at the University of Michigan Waync State University serving as co chairman of the Governor of Michigan Committee on Jobs and Economic Development.

The endowment for the Wurl Fund also finances an annual lecture and scholarship for the K-School's Trade Union and State and Local Executive programs. Wurl served as president of AFSCMI from 1964 to 1981.