“I feel that certain things were deferred,” said Malkin, who said that he presented former Athletic Director William J. Cleary ’56 with suggestions for improvements after reading Crimson articles portraying the MAC as a substandard facility.
“I don’t mean to be negative about [Cleary],” he said, “but I think [new Athletic Director Robert L. Scalise will] come in with a new, fresh approach to things.”
Malkin said he understands the need to treat the MAC as part of a larger planning effort and trusts Harvard to do the right thing in the end.
But it is unclear if Harvard expects any help from Malkin.
Though Lewis announced in February his intention to raise tens of millions—many times the sum Malkin paid to get his name on the facility—Malkin said that he has not yet been solicited for a large donation.
—Staff writer David C. Newman can be reached at dnewman@fas.harvard.edu.