'University-Wide' Capital Campaign Lacks Cooperation

The highly touted "University-wide" capital campaign, set to begin next year, may not involve as much intra-University cooperation as was once expected.

The Harvard Business School, for example, will not actively participate in the five-year, multi-billion dollar fundraising effort.

In fact, the extent of the Business School's "cooperation" will be almost entirely superficial. It will count money raised for its annual fund toward the University-wide goal, according to spokesperson Loretto F. Crane. This money would have been raised anyway.

"We're not part of it," said a Business School Fund official, who requested anonymity.

It is also unclear whether the Law School, now involved in its own fundraising effort, or the Medical School, which just completed a drive, will participate in the University-wide capital campaign.

The fundraising campaign, postponed in 1990 when Derek C. Bok announced plans to resign the presidency, has been the focus of much long-term planning.

Although Harvard has already solicited some pledges, the drive--expected to raise about $2 billion--is set to begin officially in the next academic year.

Officials at Harvard's smaller graduate schools said yesterday they didn't anticipate any help from the Business School, or from other schools with strong fundraising networks.

"We're not expecting people to help us out," said Russell A. Sanna, assistant dean for finance at the Graduate School of Design.

The understanding, Sanna added, was that "they would not campaign for us."

And the stakes are high. Graduates of the Business School, who can control millions of corporate dollars, might be less willing to donate if their school isn't part of the campaign. The Business School's muscular fundraising apparatus could be of use to some of the smaller graduate schools.

"They have a very, very well-oiled machine, so to speak, in fundraising, and they raise a ton of money," said Susan S. Paresky, associate dean for development at the School of Public Health (SPH).

"A ton" came to about $20 million in fiscal year 1991, according to the University's annual financial report.

Paresky emphasized that relations between SPH and the Business School are good and that she expects some level of cooperation. Some Business School alumni have given large sums to the SPH and other poorer schools.

University officials charged with fostering cooperation, such as Provost Jerry R. Green, have touted the upcoming fund drive as the first-ever capital campaign that is truly "University-wide."

But Green himself is barred from exercising inthe Business School's plush Shad Hall athleticfacility. Such minor barriers between sections ofthe University--when considered along with moreserious concerns such as computer networking, theunion negotiations and the capital campaign--haveraised questions about the limits of the possiblecooperation between Harvard's traditionallyseparate faculties.

What cooperation there is comes chiefly atintersections of academic interests.

"We're quite willing to do things where there'sa natural fit," said Sanna, repeating a commonrefrain among Harvard administrators.

Beyond that the separate schools are prettymuch on their own, despite President Neil L.Rudenstine's efforts to foster collaboration.

"Many of the schools are in sort of differentplaces and approaching things in different ways,"said Holly T. Sargent, associate dean fordevelopment at the Kennedy School of Government.

"That's nothing new," Sanna said. "That's theway business has been done."

Neither Green nor Rudenstine could be reachedfor comment yesterday

But Green himself is barred from exercising inthe Business School's plush Shad Hall athleticfacility. Such minor barriers between sections ofthe University--when considered along with moreserious concerns such as computer networking, theunion negotiations and the capital campaign--haveraised questions about the limits of the possiblecooperation between Harvard's traditionallyseparate faculties.

What cooperation there is comes chiefly atintersections of academic interests.

"We're quite willing to do things where there'sa natural fit," said Sanna, repeating a commonrefrain among Harvard administrators.

Beyond that the separate schools are prettymuch on their own, despite President Neil L.Rudenstine's efforts to foster collaboration.

"Many of the schools are in sort of differentplaces and approaching things in different ways,"said Holly T. Sargent, associate dean fordevelopment at the Kennedy School of Government.

"That's nothing new," Sanna said. "That's theway business has been done."

Neither Green nor Rudenstine could be reachedfor comment yesterday