Calling Bok's decision "a blow from which the [Fogg] and the University it exists to serve may never recover," Slive, who had singlehandledly raised a majority of the contributions for the addition, said last week that $11 million out of that total would have to be returned to donors because the money had been pledged specifically for the Fogg's new building.

But Putnam called Slive's statement "baloney," and said that the $11 million figure was "absolutely fictitious." Only about $1.1 million will have to be returned to contributors as a result of Bok's decision, Putnam said.

Putnam added that Corporation members had held lengthy discussions on potential reactions to the cancellation from major donors, who they feared might become reluctant to pledge money to the University and the Fogg in the future.

"We went to some of the largest donors," Putnam said. "And the two or three biggest donors said, 'Do exactly what you think is best.'"

But several donors contacted yesterday said they were greatly disturbed by the decision and would carefully reconsider future contribution plans.

Slive could not be reached for comment yesterday.

One donor, who asked not to be identified, said, "President Bok may not yet know the extent of our devotion [to the arts] but he will soon" when contributions begin to decline.

Patrons of the arts generally seek to support institutions that demonstrate leadership in their field and a willingness to provide adequate accommodations for their exhibitions and employees, several sources said, pointing out that the Fogg's reputation in these areas may slip as a result of Bok's decision.

In addition, several donors said, the Fogg's longstanding prestige may have been seriously tarnished by the plan -- proposed in the final stages of Bok's consideration--to sell a portion of the museum's artworks to help finance escalated operation and maintenance costs.

Under pressure from the Corporation, donors said, Slive had convinced members of the faculty of Fine Arts to go along with a limited one-time sale of art as the only way to bring the plans for the addition to fruition.

The Association of Art Museum Directors, a national organization of leading curators, officially denounced the proposed sale in a telegram to Bok on January 23, about one week before he reached a final determination. The association said the proposed violated a crucial aspect of the written ethics of museum administrators.

Donoce and others pointed out the irony in Silve's willingness to compromise over the sale of "redundant" art in hopes of improving the Fogg as a whole, and his subsequent portrayal as a co-conspirator with Harvard in a plot to undermine the ethics of the art world.

"Now we feel like the girl who got had in a car," Fogg Assistant Director Suzannah Fabing said. "We've lost our virginity but we never got anything in exchange."

In interviews with administrators, Corporation members and Fine Arts faculty yesterday, no one would take the blame for initiating "decession," the plan to sell part of the Fogg's art collection.

Faculty members and donors said the Corporation was responsible. Corporation members said the administration had proposed the sale. A highly placed administration official said the Faculty originated the idea.