One of the first 'extras' that some of the Mason Fellows would cut is a summer program required of them but optional for American MPAs. The Fellows arrive in July for an eight week summer session which includes courses in micro-economics, computers, English, speed reading and some introduction to the case study method.

Many note the overwhelming amount of American cases used in management courses, and an ignorance on the part of some professors of Third World concerns. "The message we're getting," one Fellow says "is that there is a view formed around certain beliefs. There is a very surprising lack of knowledge and respect even, for what is produced outside the U.S. on Third World political economy. It might even be mentioned as something that's not even worth looking at."

"I was warned by my friend who was here before me," one Fellow says. "There is bound to be a difference in perspective, so I was not surprised when it happened."

"The perspective of the School is an American perspective," another Fellow said, "how the Third World is seen from American eyes. There is something to be said in favor of that. We have a lot to learn from them." However he adds, "But when the mentality dominates, that if you do it our way you can solve your problems,' it defeats the whole purpose."

The K-School approach is based on the belief that certain concepts and techniques are universal, and therefore some methods taught to American MPAs, to be utilized somewhere in the United States, would work just as well in India. "I think there is an enormous amount of transferability in tools they can use, for example economics, statistics, also some management skills," says Walter M. Broadnax, a lecturer in public policy. "The question is the nature of the environment they will apply them in. Given some relative political and economic stability, these tools apply well, and the more stable the situation, the better they apply."

With the variety of backgrounds and experiences the Mason Fellows bring to the school "no matter what you teach there'll be someone who says 'that's not the way it is in my country,'" Deverajan says. "Generalization is a means of teaching, and by definition we will have exceptions. Their perspective is still very focussed on the problems of their own countries." He adds, "Our approach can be considered cold-blooded. We're duce very real problems to models and the value of that is that we are able to leave the rhetoric aside."

Thomas says that it is unavoidably true that the teaching the Fellows receive will have some bias. "I am a white American male. I've spent some part of my life in developing countries nearly one third. But I was still raised with certain American views and values." He adds, "For these students to be able to identify with Harvard as a premium world institution is very important. It is not the content of the courses, but the knowledge that they as Third World students can come to one of the premium world institutions and make the grade."

The Mason Fellows Program has expanded its number and focus since its original conception Five years ago associate professor of public policy. Robert E. Klitgaard '68, who teaches development courses, says he thought the program was not such a good idea, for some of the same complaints the Fellows voice now--they are not properly integrated into the School, the material available for development issues is not of a good enough quality. In Klitgaard's view, the students weren't always able to do the work. "Now the program is academically sound, and we're taking more people who will become leaders of their countries," he says. "Before we were just taking their money. Most of their courses they were taking outside the K-School. We really weren't doing a good job."

The K-School's approach to development issues has expanded since then, with several more case studies of the Third World integrated into the curriculum. In response to student complaints about approach, Klitgaard says also that "tools and policies are applicable across countries. The choice a country makes is contingent upon a host of local features."

He suggests that the School can improve the program on two points: increase the international scope of its curriculum and improve recruitment. "We can do better in terms of choosing future leaders from the Third World," he says, suggesting a required Graduate Management Aptitude Test score of all applicants, rather just the test of English as a foreign language exam. "This will be better not only for the program." Klitgaard says, "but for the School's other students." Thomas says he would also like to see more emphasis placed on development issues, with perhaps a visiting faculty member from the Third World. "If Harvard is going to be in Third World issues, there must be a greater number of Third World faculty," one Fellow said.

It is unlikely that the K-School will take a new approach to studying development. "There are no radicals at the Kennedy School," Thomas says. However, according to Broadnax, as the K-School grows, "It becomes more and more likely that it will take on a more cosmopolitan environment as we work towards achieving an optimum mix of foreign students and move those issues confronting developing countries to the front burner."

There is no question that the Mason Program will continue. Next year's class will stay at 50, Pyle says. But if Harvard is to have an effect on the Third World, some of the problems noticed by this year's Mason Fellows must still be addressed. "The question is not whether Harvard can afford to make room for Third World concerns," Devarajan says. "The question is whether it can afford not to. The problems of the Third World are there and are immense in magnitude. To some extent we all feel an obligation not to ignore those problems. Harvard has excelled in the systematic analysis of public policy. It makes sense to me that Harvard should take a role in this."