The Law School dedicated Hauser Hall, a building named for a pair of alumni donors who met and fell in love at Harvard, in a ribbon-cutting ceremony Saturday afternoon.

President Neil L. Rudenstine and Law School Dean Robert C. Clark were among the speakers at the dedication of the award-winning building, the construction of which was supported largely by a $13 million gift from Gustave M. Hauser and Rita E. Hauser.

Clark praised the Hausers for the generosity of their gift, the largest cash donation in the history of the Law School.

"This dedication celebrates the naming of a building, splendid in both design and purpose, enjoyed by students and faculty alike," Clark said. "We have enormous gratitude to Gus and Rita Hauser for their foresight and generosity."

Rudenstine compared the building, whose construction began two years before the Hauser gift was announced last fall, to an orphaned child.

"This building stood happy but a little forlorn, as an attractive but unclaimed, unnamed orphan--bright, studious, charming, convivial, but still nobody's actual child, "Rudenstine said.

Then, thanks to the Hausers' generosity, the building found parents, Rudenstine said.

"You have already been [associated with] Harvard for many decades," Rudenstine said. "But [thanks to your gift], your association will continue not only for decades but literally for centuries to come."

John F. Cogan Jr., chair of the Law School's $150 million capital campaign, also made some brief remarks on Saturday.

According to Clark, Hauser Hall contains increased computer facilities, smaller classrooms and faculty offices.

The building, designed by the architectural firm Kallmann, McKinnell & Wood, claimed the 1994 Parker Medal as the most beautiful building in the Boston metropolitan area.

Love Story at the Law School

The Hausers met when Rita was a first-year at the Law School and Gustave was a teaching fellow during the 1955-56 academic year.

"Of all the memories that I take--teaching, learning,...becoming a lawyer--the emotion I feel strongest today is for the happy marriage that was born here," Rita Hauser said on Saturday.

Upon their 1956 marriage, Rita transferred to New York University Law School, and the two began their long and successful careers.

Rita Hauser has practiced law as a seniorpartner of the firm Stroock & Stroock & Lavan. Sheis now counsel to the firm and participates innumerous philanthropic endeavors as president ofthe Hauser Foundation, chair of the InternationalPeace Academy and co-chair of the RAND GreaterMiddle East Studies Center.

Gustave Hauser is the chair and CEO of HauserCommunications. He is one of the pioneers of themodern cable television industry and has had ahand in such breakthrough endeavors as MusicTelevision (MTV) and Nickelodeon, a children'snetwork.

The Law School capital campaign is within $2million of completing its $150 million goal