The Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) is about to embark on its first curricular review in a quarter of a century. That process, Summers says, will identify new needs and will likely reaffirm the expensive expansion of the Faculty as a goal.

Summers and others in the central administration are working with the schools on initiatives designed to encourage public service. They are looking at improving graduate student financial aid in ways that would make careers in the public section more accessible—requiring millions of dollars in the long-term.

Another possible target of a campaign for public service, Hyman says, is the Graduate School of Education (GSE).

Summers has promised funds to the new GSE Dean Ellen Condliffe Lagemann and announced that under her direction the school would turn toward the problems of the American public school system.

“I think everyone acknowledges there are needs at the Education School,” Hyman says. More concrete planning will begin once Lagemann “catches her breath,” he says.

Officials from the Medical School, FAS and the School of Public Health are beginning discussions about how new resources could better integrate and expand biomedical research done at the University.

Meanwhile the central administration is working toward a possible decision this summer on the shape of a future campus in Allston. While much is uncertain about the timetable and logistics of this development project, those involved say it could eventually cost billions of dollars.

As of a result of this uncertainty, Allston might or might not be an objective of the possible capital campaign.

Hyman says these academic planning efforts exist separately from fundraising planning, but acknowledges that they are connected.

“We would not engage the faculty in academic planning if the COUR, the Overseers and Corporation were against a substantial fundraising effort at this point,” Hyman says.

Central Planning

The concept of a targeted, University-wide campaign was actually one of three discussed with the deans, Corporation and COUR. In addition to the across-the-board campaign mirroring Rudenstine’s effort, the option of letting the schools conduct their own campaigns was considered.

Two schools—the Law School and Business School—have already embarked on campaigns, and when discussions began last year, the Medical School was considering a campaign as well.

But the decentralized model, Hyman says, has met with little enthusiasm and has essentially been discarded. While the Law School and Business School will continue with their campaigns, FAS and other schools are not likely to follow in their paths.

Hyman says the campaign model that COUR and other leaders have “converged on” would be a middle ground.