"There is an element of elitism associated with Harvard--the view of a yankee protestant background, such as the Cabots `older family hertiage' image," Clark explains.

Some legislators also are not pleased with the current mode of Harvard political education. There are older Republican members in the Senate who view the Kennedy-School as an institution composed of "cold-blooded technocrats--where professors are business-like, while they claim to represent the people," says State Rep. Paul D. Harold (D-Quincy).

Vice president for Government and Public Affairs John Shattuck says that Harvard does not try to or need to encourage legislators to vote on any particular legislation that would benfit the University because it lobbies through the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts, AICUM.

However, Harvard does sometimes need to emphasize issues which are of special interest often only to the University. As one of the top six producers of low-level radio active waste, Harvard has taken an active role in helping draft legislation concerning the disposal these wastes. Research activities at Harvard hospitals and research centers, which produce some toxic wastes, are very affected by such legislation, Shattuck says.

After two years of lobbying, the State senate this spring passed legislation that complies with federal regulations that requires states to establish in-state storage sites.

But Harvard's main concern is with state scholarship aid and fellowship programs, a cause for which Harvard actively lobbys for both in the state and nationally. Earlier this year Harvard invited freshman state legislators to a lunch to push for more student aid.

State Rep. Nicholas A. Paleologos (D-Woburn), chairman of the House Education Committee, considered Harvard's proposal for a $25 million dollar increase in scholarship aid this year, and it will be debated before the legislature this summer.

"Harvard watches what the legislature does--universities are like other businesses--if any law directly infringes on academic freedom, we would take action," Shattuck says. But a lot of the issues that the state addresses do not affect the university and does not require direct action, he adds.

However in some instances, Harvard faculty have become active in state issues. "Harvard lobbys get involved usually when there is something that directly affects Harvard, often historic interests. As a lobbying body, the greatest impact is from some of the faculty and staff in the education department--in the early 1970s one professor in the Education School was very active in school desegregation, and he had a great impact. Harvard activism does have a positive effect on those who get involved," says State Sen. Royal L. Bolling Sr. '47 (D-Boston).

Many legislators said that Harvard's main function in the legislature is to provide expertise and and information on various legal questions. Lamont University Professor Emeritus John T. Dunlop, is among some of the faculty sought out to advise on legislative issues. He has served as a chair of committees dealing with labor unions, and pension and retirement disputes, Bolling says.

Dunlop says that there has been a fair amount of interchange between Harvard and state government, especially since Gov. Michael S. Dukakis spent four years at the Kennedy-School of Government, and appointed K-School faculty such as Ira Jackson as commisioner of finance, and Executive Dean Hale Champion as his Chief of Staff. If Dukakis has his way in 1988 that influence may stretch from Massachusetts Avenue to Pennsylvania Avenue.