J. Ernest Nunnally, director of foundation and corporate relations at Dartmouth, will leave his post of eight years to fill a comparable position in Harvard's University Development Office February 1.

As director of corporations and foundations at Harvard. Nunnally will direct fundraising efforts for various University programs including scholarships, international study and graduate school projects.

Nunnally said that his primary interest is in increasing corporate funding for the Faculty and the nine graduate schools. He said that he will aim to cultivate "total relationships" with particular corporations and foundations.

During Nunnally's eight years at Dartmouth, contributions from foundations and businesses rose by more than $5 million.

The transition from a relatively small liberal arts college to a major research institution, he said, will mean big changes in his way of day-to-day organization.

"I'm looking forward to making the organizational skills I've used at Dartmouth applicable to the much larger scale of Harvard," Nunnally said.

"We're delighted that he's coming to us," Director of University Development Thomas M. Reardon said yesterday. "He'll bring a variety of strengths to the office and he's extremely well regarded by other universities. We feel very fortunate to have gotten him."

Nunnally will replace outgoing Director of Corporate and Foundations Relations Thomas W. Stephenson, who has accepted the post of executive secretary for Harvard's upcoming 350th birthday celebration.

Nunnally has officially resigned but will hold his office at Dartmouth until the actual move to Harvard.