This technique has paid off for the College,with almost half of FAS' alumni giving to theUniversity last year. But some of Harvard'sgraduate schools have not been as successful. TheDivinity School and the Graduate School of Designrates were as low as 26 percent and 20 percent,respectively. And the Graduate School of Educationalumnireturn rate was also at 20 percent.

But the Law School and Medical School garnereddonations from more than 50 percent of theiralumni last year--a success rate Glimp attributesto recently-increased fundraising efforts there.

The Law School is currently preparing to launcha $150 million effort and the Med School is in themiddle of an even more ambitious capital drive.But Glimp says these wealthier faculties--alongwith the Business School--have always garneredhigher returns than the other, less financiallysuccessful schools.

Many associated with University fundraising saythis discrepancy is the very reason why Harvardshould launch, for the first time, a mammoth driveincluding all nine faculties.

Such a drive, Monrad says, would be "an effortto make these places self-reliant."

Development officers say that while Harvard hasimpressive systems for ensuring that alumni giveto the faculties from which they graduated, thereis no established way of encouraging cross-schooldonations.

"Often these people will step forward," Glimpsays. But, he adds, Harvard's traditional "everytub in on its own bottom" philosophy--where eachschool is responsible for its own fundraising--hasmeant that a University-wide approach to givinghas never been a top priority.

But the need for funds has escalated to thepoint where such an approach is almost essential,according to Harvard fundraisers.

The University of Pennsylvania recentlyannounced plans to launch its firstuniversity-wide effort, with a target of more than$1 billion. And Stanford University is finishingup $1.1 billion campaign that is the nation'slargest ever.

And Peter J. Malkin '55, the chief New Yorkfundraiser, says if they can do it, Harvardcertainly can.

"If you were to mount a truly University-widecampaign, I'm chauvinist enough to think that ifPenn can raise $1 billion, Harvard can raise $2billion," he says.

And Monrad adds, "There has to be [aUniversity-wide drive], and it will be in the $3billion range before we're done...There's anirresistible tide pushing the campaign forward,despite a natural reluctance [to changetraditional modes of fundraising]."

Fine-tuning the Pitch

To prepare for a fundraising campaign whichseems almost inevitable, Harvard's developmentofficers say they are fine-tuning their pitch toalumni.

And they say their message is one that will bewell-received.