After another round of changes, the plan goesto a third review meeting and the committeediscusses fundraising needs.

Most of the faculties have already had two tofour of the review meetings.

Next week, all 10 deans and the five vicepresidents will assemble for a two-day retreat onthe wooded campus of the Academy of Arts andSciences in Cambridge.

There, each dean will present a plan to theentire group. Like the review meetings, writtenmaterial will be distributed beforehand andRudenstine chairs an active discussion.

"These meetings are friendly and constructive,but they can get quite lively--I won't say heated,but they can be more than just pleasant to-ing andfro-ing. Because the fundamental idea is to getgood criticism from colleagues outside one's ownschool. That's tremendously important," saysRudenstine.

After another six months and two more retreats,Rudenstine hopes he will hold in his hands aUniversity-wide plan that serves as theintellectual foundation and price guide for acapital campaign.

That's the structure. But beneath the meetingsis a series of tough reality checks. Each academicplan must be subjected to "fundraising feasibilitytests."

"Some academic plans you dream up couldbankrupt you financially," says Glimp.

In fact, many of the changes in the academicplans will be the result of financial concerns.Most professors' dreams will end up on the cuttingroom floor.

One senior faculty members says wish lists inthe sciences were initially completely out of tunewith financial reality. Only about a third of thewish lists were considered feasible, the professorsays.

But the professor praises the collaborative wayfaculty members were consulted about which wisheswere most important.

There is no voting at the review meetings;Rudenstine calls the process "interactive."

"Things will either survive that process ornot," Rudenstine says.

Rudenstine attacks the academic plans withthree main questions in mind.

"Is this an area where we think we are doing asmuch as we should already?"