Through social events and visits to localHarvard Clubs by prominent administrators andfaculty, the association does much of the workrequired to maintain a loyal--and generous--groupof alumni.
As Shapiro says, even though fundraising andalumni gatherings are "conceived as havingdifferent functions...you can't really do onewithout thinking of the other."
"The better the Alumni Association does its jobof communicating to alumni about activities atHarvard, the better alumni understand why Harvardis doing what it is, including any fundraisingcampaign it might launch," says Charles J. Egan'54, Alumni Association president.
This overlap carries over to the AlumniAssociation's officials. as well as its functions.
"I would be surprised if there are manyofficers who aren't involved in fundraising insome way," says Shapiro. "If it means a lot to youto keep supporting Harvard, one of the ways is tospend some time on its behalf to raise somemoney."
And that's not uncommon for universities.
"The fact that they exist and keep alumni intouch...is helpful for fundraising," Hardt says.
But Harvard officials have always pridedthemselves on keeping the Alumni Association andfundraising as separate as possible.
"I certainly don't think [fundraising] is aprimary purpose of any Harvard Club in thecountry," says Quentin G. Heisler '65, presidentof the Chicago Harvard Club. "What we try to do isprovide a sense of community."
"Traditionally the Alumni Association hasconcentrated on non-fundraising activities, and Iexpect that's what it will continue to do," Egansays.
Just last month, however, Egan and AlumniAssociation First Vice President Martin A.Heckscher '56 floated a still sketchy proposalthat would strengthen ties between the AlumniAssociation and the Harvard College Fund.
"Since the primary function of the AlumniAssociation is the maintenance and facilitation ofcommunication with alumni about a wide variety ofsubjects relating to the University, a logicalconclusion is that among the things we mightcommunicate would be Harvard finances and fiscalpolicy, including, perhaps, fundraising," saysEgan.