Ryan said he was aware of O'Rourke's critique but did not expect his findings to tarnish the report.

"I am not a factory monitor, and I'm not in a position to judge the validity of Professor O'Rourke's criticisms," he wrote in an e-mail message. "O'Rourke has affirmed to us that his criticisms do not affect the validity or integrity of the [consultants'] report, which he participated in and stands behind."

Dubbed the Independent University Initiative, the report was funded by Harvard, the Universities of California, Michigan and Notre Dame, and Ohio State University.

The universities hired a team of three consultants--O'Rourke, the Business for Social Responsibility Education Fund and the Investor Responsibility Research Center--to prepare the report, and they in turn engaged Pricewaterhouse to conduct two factory visits in each of the seven countries visited.

Together, factories in the seven countries, including China, El Salvador, Korea, Mexico, Pakistan, Thailand and the United States, are responsible for the production of much the nation's college apparel.

Ryan said the next step for the University is to analyze the data contained in the report and ask for the input of students and faculty on campus.

"We look forward to a far-reaching discussion of what Harvard can, and ought to, do; with whom we ought to do it; and what we can expect to accomplish," he wrote.

--Staff writer Robert K. Silverman can be reached at rsilverm@fas.harvard.edu.