Senior Gift House Competition Launches With Quincy in Lead

The Class of ’06 Senior Gift House Competition kicked off last Thursday, aiming to avoid the controversy that surrounded the event last year.

Last spring, Matthew W. Mahan ’05 and Brandon M. Terry ’05 established “Senior Gift Plus,” which protested University investment in PetroChina, a company with ties to the Sudanese government. This rift fostered concerns among students about exactly how their donations were being spent, and the campaign registered its lowest participation rate since 1999.

This year, however, following Harvard’s move to divest from PetroChina and a second oil firm tied to the Sudanese government, Sinopec, campaign planners are confident that their effort will be controversy-free.

After the first weekend of the competition, Qunicy House is in first place with 24 percent participation, followed by Currier and Mather Houses, with 16 percent and 14 percent, respectively.

During the competition, which runs through May 8, each House will seek to attain the highest participation rate in the gift campaign.

The Senior Gift asks seniors to donate a minimum of $10, which is designated as an unrestricted gift and can be used for programs not covered by Harvard’s endowment. A student can donate $100 and become a “Century Senior” or $250 to become an Associate. However, the focus is not on donating the most money, but rather on participation and showing confidence in the university, organizers say.

“The senior gift is not about the amount of money raised, but to unite the senior class and to educate them for when they become alums,” said Lauren Rosensweig of the Harvard College Fund. “It is a way to say ‘thank you.’”

In view of Harvard’s $25.9 billion endowment, such gifts are relatively small, raising between $30,000 and $50,000 each year.

“We don’t have incomes as students, so a gift is a sign of gratitude,” explained Brooks E. Washington ’06, co-chair of the Senior Gift Campaign, with Paul M. Soper ’06, who is also a former Crimson photography chair.

Both Rosensweig and Washington affirm that all is running smoothly.

“Our effort is more unified and energetic than in past years.” said Washington. “People are very excited to be involved.”

This year’s senior gift has several new additions that provide additional benefits to seniors who give. Seniors may now specify their gift to undergraduate life, rather than just as an unrestricted gift that can be used for any purpose or gift specifically earmarked for financial aid. This will directly benefit students by improving clubs and facilities and providing financial support for research and study abroad.

If the senior class reaches its goal of 65 percent participation, they will have an opportunity to name a booth in Loker Pub, with the winning house involved in construction and decorating. The Pub will open next February, with construction beginning in June, according to the project manager of Loker Commons planning, Zachary A. Corker ’04.

“It is a chance for members of the class of 2006 to experience the pub, since they will miss it by just one semester,” said Corker.