On April 9, 1969, 300 students stormed University Hall and evicted administrators from their offices.

In response to the protesters' cry of "smash ROTC, no expansion," some administrators left peacefully, while others were carried out and forcibly ejected from the building.

Among the waves of activist and youthful vigor that permeated the student body in 1969, Franklin Delano Raines '71 remained a calm voice of moderation.

From the steps of Widener, Raines delivered a speech recommending that students avoid conflicts with faculty during the occupation of University Hall.

Raines led the "moderate" students' cause, organizing meetings for students and making recommendations to the faculty--offering a voice that was reasonable, rational and respectable.

For Raines, success and leadership through moderation have always come naturally. Today, the first marshal of the Class of 1971 is poised to become the next director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under President Clinton.

As director of the OMB, Raines will assist Clinton in the development and execution of policies and programs and will be involved with the resolution of all budget, policy and management issues on behalf of the president.

If Raines is confirmed as expected later this month to replace Alice M. Rivlin, he will be the first black director of the OMB.

Raines currently serves as vice chair of the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), a quasi-public organization that works toward expanding home ownership possibilities.

A Pathmaker

Raines appears to have been marked for greatness since his early teen years.

In high school, Raines served as president of the student body and earned a reputation as a budding academic.

Rick Nagel, a U.S. history teacher at Franklin High School in Seattle, Washington, remembers Raines as a charismatic individual with deep convictions who captivated the student body when he spoke.

"He had a unique blend of a sense of humor, seriousness of purpose and concern for the world," Nagel says, adding that he has never held a student in higher esteem than Raines during his 30-year career at Franklin.

The committee on admissions of Harvard College also recognized Raines' potential immediately. In 1967, the members of the admissions committee named Raines a National Scholar, one of the top 50 students of the incoming first-year class.