In trying to enhance its reputation as the leading theological school in the country, Harvard Divinity School has balanced itself on a budgetary razor's edge. A variety of progressive curriculum innovations in the last four years-in women's studies. Jewish-Christian relations and other multicultural approaches to religion-have boosted enrollment substantially, but the Divinity School has had a hard time finding the money to pay for it all.

The major problem the Divinity School faces rests in insufficient endowment funds. About a decade ago, more than 55 percent of the Divinity School's budget came from interest on the endowment, but that figure has dropped steadily to 39 growth did that figure has dropped steadily to 39 percent for 1982-83, largely because endowment growth did not keep up with inflation. To insure that the actual value of the endowment does not drop, the school has had to spend less and less of the interest from the fund, which now stands at about $40 million.

Even at the relatively low 39 percent figure, the Divinity School still ranks as the Harvard faculty which relies the most on endowment. But Dean George E. Rupp says he wants to see the figure move higher.

"The difference in endowment income between now and the mid-70's is, frankly, killing us." Rupp says. "The reason that it has to be so high is that we labor under a number of very serious liabilities in amassing resources."

Primarily, Rupp says, the fundrasing problem is that "our alumni body, to put it gently, is not wealthy." Also, the federal government and most major corporations shy away from giving money to the school because it is a religious organization.

Donations from the Ford and Rockefeller foundations have gone a long way toward paying for the Divinity School's women's studies program, which began in 1973 and evolved into a major program in 1980 when new funds brought five full time scholars to the school.

"We have that funding in spite of the fact that we're a divinity school," Rupp says. "It's been very clear from the foundations that we're giving this to you because we like your women's studies program, but we're dubious about the fact that you're a religious organization."

Loss

The school lost about $100.000 in 1980 and has achieved nominal surpluses since, but the financial situation remains precarious. To make ends meet, the school has trimmed small expenses like building maintenance. Many students now do paid maintenance work like plastering and painting, which Rupp calls "a kind of folksy example, but there are a lot of other examples that don't show as much."

Enrollment at the Divinity School has shot up about 40 percent since 1979, helping ease the budget crunch by bringing in more tuition money. But Rupp and other officials say they are sensitive to the fact that the 168-year-old school--the oldest grad school at Harvard--must hustle to keep enrollment rising.

Tuition, at $8300 a year, stands as the lowest of all Harvard's grad schools but the highest for divinity schools in the country. Although the school counts all its pennies everywhere else. It has managed actually to increase the amount of money available each year for financial aid. But because enrollment has increased so much, less aid per student is available than five years ago.

Rupp and others say they are confident that Harvard remains the best divinity school in the country. "[We are] the only theological school in the country that has the highest intellectual standards and also is committed to prepare people for ministry," says Rupp.

"But the pool nationwide for people going into ministry or theological education is certainly not growing. We've been fortunate in getting an in creasingly larger slice of a not-so-growing pie." Rupp says, adding that "I don't think we are under any enrollment pressures here at the moment. We've worked hard to avoid having that happen."

Spread the Word

Constance H. Buchanan, director of the women's studies program, spends a good deal of her time "getting the word out to the world about Harvard Divinity School We've taken a far more assertive role in presenting our academic identity and performance."