"Jesse 'The Body' [Ventura] rode the fence of a serious or funny suggestion," says Nicholas K. Davis '99, co-chair of the committee. "We definitely considered it."

The committee considers all nominees, even those unlikely to accept, such as President Bill Clinton, who this year spoke at the U.S. Air Force Academy to recognize the Air Force role in the Yugoslavian bombing campaign.

"The people that people put on their class lists are very famous," Santos says.

Although this nomination process gives the students a real voice, it also slows down the invitation process.

The committee can only invite one candidate at a time and must wait for each candidate to decline before moving to its next choice.

"You can only invite one person at a time. You don't want two people to say yes,'" Santos says. "It makes it a lot harder. You just have to wait."

"It is almost always scheduling" that is the problem, Davis says. "It's a complicated time to get people."

Scheduling has also proven a problem for Harvard's other schools.

This year, the Kennedy School of Government could not confirm until early May that Rev. Jesse L. Jackson would be its Class Day speaker.

Time and again, the Kennedy School has invited world leaders such as former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and former President Jimmy Carter, but to no avail.

"There are some people who just don't come," says Catherine A. McLaughlin, deputy director of the IOP.

Meeting its Match?

Besides the selection process, there are more reasons why securing the most famous speakers is one area where Harvard cannot always use its name to get what it wants.

Other institutions may lose students to Harvard, but they present a formidable challenge in drawing famous politicians, entertainers, writers and scientists to speak.

"More organizations are jumping on by marketing their event with a speaker who has some notoriety," says Diane Jellis, associate director for classes and reunions.