Technology, too, has been a revolutionary force in academia, Bok said. Computers and videotapes, he said, have changed both the way students communicate their thoughts and the manner of taking in new knowledge from professors.

"It's been my goal for some time to stay until it was possible for any self-respecting graduate to leave Harvard without ever having gotten out of bed," Bok said, smiling.

"It is technically conceivable, if not psychologically horrifying," he said.

Bok said that his recipe for the future success of Harvard is quite similar to the one he has used over the last decade: take a diverse faculty and student body, "mix them up in the houses and add an extraordinary array of extracurricular and cultural opportunities."

While a few alums answered Bok's call for questions with queries about the state of the University, at least one member of the Class of 1966 got to the heart of the matter--the real purpose of the whole reunion rigamarole.

"My daughter may be applying for admission next year," the man said. "What kind of buildings do you need?"

Bok answered, "If you'll see me after class..."