Aside from its GM decision, Harvard faces pressure to take stands in two other proxy battles. Both involve power companies accused of polluting: the Boston Edison Company, and Commonwealth Edison of Chicago.

Of the two, the Commonwealth Edison fight has easily been the more intense. For the last few months, environmental groups in Washington and the Midwest have singled Comm Ed out as the target for a hard-hitting anti-pollution campaign.

The groups claim that CommEd-by burning high-sulfur coal in its generating plants-pours 420,000 tons of sulfur dioxide into the Chicago skies every day. When the sulfur dioxide mixes with soot and moisture in the sky, it turns into sulfuric acid, having corrosive effects on buildings and human tissue.

Low sulfur fuel would be more costly, the groups admit. But at a time when CommEd's profits are rising, its critics claim that the company can afford to make the change.

Lake Pollution

The CommEd proxy battle includes charges of water pollution as well. The company is now preparing to build a large unclear generating plant-its third-at a spot named Zion on the shore of Lake Michigan.

To draw off the intense heat of the Zion generators. CommEd will use the lake water in a cooling system. Cool water will flow in from the lake and the hot water will be dumped directly back at temperatures 18-20 degrees above normal.

Ecologist Barry Commoner claims that the temperature rise may be enough to cause a vast growth of algae and a sudden disappearance of fish.

Bennett said Monday, however, normal dispersion in the Lakes will offset this effect. He noted that all unclear generators around Lake Michigan will only raise the temperature one tenth of one per cent.

In the last 100 years, the average Great Lakes temperature has dropped two degrees. Thus, the natural drop in temperature may offset any artificial increase, Bennett said.

Universities Included

What the proxy challengers are asking is that CommEd take action on both these fronts, using low-sulfur fuel and finding a different way to cool Zion.

They will take these requests to the company's April 27 annual meeting, and they have asked stockholders-including universities-to join them. So far, three Midwestern universities have agreed to turn their proxies over to student ecology groups.

Harvard-which owns $2.759.907 worth of CommEd stock and another $4.525.000 worth of bonds-has received a similar request. At Tuesday's meeting, however. Bennett indicated that Harvard would almost certainly stay away from the proxy fight.

Boston Edison

The second pollution campaign-which is conceded to have as little chance of success as the first-involves Boston Edison. The issues are basically the same: local ecology groups claim that the company's high-sulfur fuel and uncapped smokestacks are heavy contributors to local pollution.

Harvard's holdings here are relatively small-$1.332.099 worth of common stock and $870.000 in bonds-but again, ecology groups have asked the University to turn over its proxies. In light of Harvard's GM stand, the prospect for such an action seems slim.

'Mississippi P and L'

While the environmental crusades are relatively new developments other aspects of the University's investments have been a constant sore spot over the last few years.