Opposition to the ASGF

The creation of the ASGF was met with criticism from some members of the Faculty and Administration.

Several days after the initial announcement of the Fund, Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis '68 told The Crimson that he believed the decision to establish the fund was rather "self-serving."

"I find it quite extraordinary that students who have willingly accepted scholarships and loans from Harvard for four years, all funded by the generosity of people who have given to Harvard in the past, can, just at the instant when they are about to collect their Harvard diplomas and no longer need any institutional support, suddenly come to the revelation that people should not be giving money to Harvard," he said in an email message last week.

Kenan Professor of Government Harvey C. Mansfield, Jr. '53 opposed the fund on different grounds.

"That's the worst kind of pressure on behalf of affirmative action," he said. "It ensures that if and when those goals are reached those people [hired or tenured] will be perceived as inferior and probably will be inferior."

Development Associate Lori P. Stevens, who oversees the traditional Senior Gift Fund, said that while she does not oppose student activism, she could not support the establishment of the ASGF.

"We are not upset that students want to advocate for change and speak their minds. I think that's healthy," she said. "But targeting the Senior Gift which teaches about alumni giving and supports undergraduates does not seem to me to be the most productive approach."

Eli K. Aheto '97, a First Marshal of the graduating class, wrote in a letter to The Crimson that he believes students are unaware of the complex obstacles which face those who attempt to increase the proportion of female and minority Faculty.

"[Although] the Alternative Senior Gift Fund has drawn more attention to the issue [of greater gender and racial equity among Harvard's Faculty], focusing on it has obscured student perception of how Faculty balance might be achieved," wrote Aheto, who is among the organizers of the Senior Gift Fund.

Campus Activism

Supporters of the ASGF said they have been forced into creating the ASGF because they do not believe the administration has been willing to make a concerted effort to address the problem.

"We never would have started out that way [establishing an escrow fund] but we found that the administration was not really interested in having a dialogue with us and answering our concerns in a constructive manner," Schmertzler said.

According to Coalition members, the failure of previous efforts to effect change through more cooperative means led them to adopt the fund as a new tactic.

"ASGF formed because of the realization that Harvard only listens to money," Peimer said.