Harvard officials scrambled yesterday to project an image of stability in their central administration amid reports of disarray that could hurt the $2 billion fundraiser University officials plan to kick off next month.
In the day's most colorful statement, Acting Vice President for Government, Community and Public Affairs Jane H. Corlette explained that it is relatively unimportant that three of the top seven administrative positions at Harvard are currently unfilled.
In making her point, Corlette compared the current situation in Massachusetts Hall to the constant turmoil and turnover in leadership during French history. She said there was no need to worry about changes at the top because Harvard has strong middle level bureaucrats running the University from below.
"I don't think of it as a void," she said when asked about the three openings, "because there's such a huge staff underneath."
Still, France never had to worry about organizing the largest capital campaign in the history of higher education, which Harvard will officially kick off on May 13.
Whether the campaign is successful in reaching its $2 billion goal could help determine the quality of education that Harvard students receive for decades to come.
Two of the three posts currently up for grabs had been held by officials--outgoing Vice President for Finance Robert H. Scott and Provost Jerry R. Green--who were expected to be key figures in the campaign.
There are already signs that Green's sudden departure, which was announced this week without any official explanation, could hurt the fundraising effort.
As late as last week, he had been scheduled to make fundraising trips around the country during the spring and summer months.
It is unclear how many of those trips Green Will actually make. But his assistant, Katherine D. Warden, said yesterday that the provost will go to Texas on Monday for a fundraising trip.
Members of the Harvard Club of Dallas, where Green will visit, offered conflicting opinions yesterday on the lame duck provost's travel plans.
Virginia S. McAlester '65, a member of the board of Dallas' Harvard club, said she does not see Green's pending departure from the central administration as a detriment to the trip.
"We're delighted," McAlester said. "No one has said anything "Our club definitely respects him andappreciated his work and the years he's given tothe University," she added. But another member of the Dallas clubcriticized the administration's decision to sendGreen to Texas. "I think it's a problem," Peter P. Smith '78said. "I don't think he should make the trip." Read more in News
