Instead, the most important factors are those perks that were mostly window dressing in the Barro controversy--control of research centers, increased research funding and a better support staff.

"The pay [at Harvard] is pretty low compared toother universities, but that's not enough to makeme move," says Daniel J. Jacob, McKay professor ofacademic chemistry and environmental engineering."I would only move for the directorship of aninstitute or research center."

Jacob's sentiments are common. Most Faculty saymoney spent on strengthening department prestigeor improving research opportunities can still be apowerful attraction for professors who areunconcerned with salary.

Lane Professor of the Classics and of HistoryChristopher P. Jones, tenured in two of Harvard'smost prestigious departments, still speaks formany Faculty members in this regard.

"I love teaching [at Harvard]," Jones says."But [an offer] that would make me freer to doresearch would be a very tempting one."

Our Own Star System

The power of academic perks has not goneunnoticed at Harvard--in fact it is recognized bya different kind of "star system" ignored inrhetoric about egalitarian salaries.

Knowles and others are quick to point toHarvard's tightly-clustered salary system asevidence that the University values "collegiality"over the clear hierarchy of salary star systems.

But it seems that in order to attract and keeptop Faculty, Harvard has been forced into asimilar brand of unequal rewards for unequalreputation.

"Undoubtedly there are non-salary aspects ofthings that are not as evenly distributed asfaculty salaries," says Professor of GovernmentJeffry Frieden.

Frequently, the most obvious examples ofacademic perks are directorships of prominentprograms or centers.

Harvard professors so rewarded include DillonProfessor of International Affairs Jorge I.Dominguez with the directorship of the WeatherheadCenter for International Affairs and Professor ofGovernment Gary King with the head of theHarvard/MIT Data Center.

While usually embracing academic support,non-salary benefits can also include a job for aprofessor's spouse and a housingallowance--quality-of-life improvements notcounted as salary.

"There is a difference in perks handed out tofaculty members in order to attract stars," saysone Faculty member.

And, while Knowles refuses to comment on theissue of perks, Provost Harvey V. Fineberg '67admits that all-important academic perks are "noteven-handedly distributed."

Fineberg adds that this system is far moreconservative than those at schools with whichHarvard competes for Faculty.