Class of 1998 Doesn't Ante Up for Harvard

Each year, Harvard hopes that with the stroke of a pen, graduating seniors will keep their alma mater close to their hearts and their checkbooks by making donations to the senior gift.

This year, many did not heed the call.

As of the June 30 deadline, the senior gift totalled $23,573, with another $3000 in pledges still outstanding.

This amount is slightly less than last year's gift--which totaled $29,736 excluding corporate grants--and falls way behind the record breaking $53,000 raised in 1996.

To date, 33.25 percent of the senior class has given to the senior gift.

However, Coordinator of the Senior Gift Program Peggy V. Hsai said the success of the program cannot be measured just in dollar totals.

Hsai said the goal of the senior gift is to educate out-going seniors about the contributions they can make as alums and why Harvard needs their support.

"It's primarily an education thing," Hsai said.

It is hard to link the success of the senior gift to specific factors, Hsai said.

But many students tied their donations to specific factors, such as their overall perception of their years at Harvard.

Manish P. Ponda '68, a biochemistry concentrator, said he did not think his experience at Harvard was exceptional.

"I don't think my experience would have been radically different had I gone somewhere else...someone like me may not see why they need to give back," Ponda said.

On the other hand, Lauren H. Reiss '98, a student gift chair from Quincy house, said she gave to the senior gift because she "loves" Harvard and wanted to help others have "a similar, wonderful experience."

Jennifer A. Guerriere '98, a senior gift chair in Eliot house, also said she enjoyed her undergraduate years.

"Eliot House felt like a community, and we're willing to give back to the community," Guerriere said.

Some students said gift totals may be

Some students said gift totals may be tied tohow heavily gift chairs in each house solicitedmoney.

Brian T. DeVries '98, a graduate from CabotHouse, said the main reason he did not give wasthat the Cabot senior gift chairs did not heavilysolicit.

"The main factor...was that is wasn't pushed inthe house," DeVries said.

However, Jay M. Dickerson '98 said every seniorin Quincy House received a phone call about thegift and that the chairs were professional, notpushy.

Students contacted in Quincy House said theywere glad to give.

"I got a lot out of Harvard and I thought itwould be great, even if it was a small amount, ifsomeone could benefit like I did," Dickerson said.

Another reason may have been that the seniorgift does not give students many options aboutwhere their money will be spent.

Presently, seniors may choose to donate theirmoney specifically to a scholarship fund butcannot give to individual departments or programs.

Ponda said he would have been more likely togive if he could have specified the destination ofhis donation. Harvard does not allocate itsresources in a way that benefits undergraduates,he said.

During his junior year, he said he was ateaching fellow in a physics class and that thelaboratory lacked basic equipment such asbatteries.

Whatever their reasons for giving or notgiving, this year the official senior gift was theonly show in town.

Last year, an "alternative" senior gift wasestablished by Megan L. Peimer '97 and Ezra W.Reese '97 to protest what they saw as a low tenurerate of women faculty.

They solicited contributions to be kept in aprivate bank account until a more acceptable rateis achieved.

The effort was not particularlysuccessful--Hsai said it raised several thousanddollars--and no seniors continued their campaignthis year

Some students said gift totals may be tied tohow heavily gift chairs in each house solicitedmoney.

Brian T. DeVries '98, a graduate from CabotHouse, said the main reason he did not give wasthat the Cabot senior gift chairs did not heavilysolicit.

"The main factor...was that is wasn't pushed inthe house," DeVries said.

However, Jay M. Dickerson '98 said every seniorin Quincy House received a phone call about thegift and that the chairs were professional, notpushy.

Students contacted in Quincy House said theywere glad to give.

"I got a lot out of Harvard and I thought itwould be great, even if it was a small amount, ifsomeone could benefit like I did," Dickerson said.

Another reason may have been that the seniorgift does not give students many options aboutwhere their money will be spent.

Presently, seniors may choose to donate theirmoney specifically to a scholarship fund butcannot give to individual departments or programs.

Ponda said he would have been more likely togive if he could have specified the destination ofhis donation. Harvard does not allocate itsresources in a way that benefits undergraduates,he said.

During his junior year, he said he was ateaching fellow in a physics class and that thelaboratory lacked basic equipment such asbatteries.

Whatever their reasons for giving or notgiving, this year the official senior gift was theonly show in town.

Last year, an "alternative" senior gift wasestablished by Megan L. Peimer '97 and Ezra W.Reese '97 to protest what they saw as a low tenurerate of women faculty.

They solicited contributions to be kept in aprivate bank account until a more acceptable rateis achieved.

The effort was not particularlysuccessful--Hsai said it raised several thousanddollars--and no seniors continued their campaignthis year