Vellucci Talks on City-University Tensions at Harkness Commons

Councillor Al Vellucci explained yesterday at the Law School coffee hour how his rabble-rousing tactics have forced the University to cooperate with the City of Cambridge.

As two University policemen hovered in the background ready to deal with any unseemly disturbances, Vellucci claimed he was not serious last spring when he suggested that the University secede from Cambridge.

"Harvard can't secede," he said, "for the Massachusetts Charter provides that there shall be a college in Cambridge. Harvard even enjoys more liberties than Cambridge under the Charter."

In explaining his proposal of last May, Vellucci said that Dr. Pusey was too busy looking for a way to raise $100 million and City Manager Curry was too busy trying to keep the tax rate down to bother much about the parking problem. "My proposal was the only way to call the situation to their attention," he said.

The method worked, he said, for the Council was invited to a dinner "with all the MIT and Harvard brass." Administrators from the two universities showed Vellucci pictures and maps of how they might solve the problem. "I even got my name card autographed by Dr. Pusey," he added.