Ford Gives University $12.5 Million For Study of International Affairs

The Ford Foundation announced today a $12.5-million grant to Harvard to strengthen the University's program in international affairs. The grant is the largest single gift in Harvard's history.

Under the terms of the grant, the University will endow nine new professorships, construct a new building to centralize its now widely-scattered program in international affairs, and undertake a program of co-ordinated research utilizing all its resources.

To strengthen further Harvard's international studies, President Pusey has announced that he will chair a University-wide committee of senior Faculty members. The group will review all present international research programs.

The nine new professorships which will be divided among four faculties, are designed to give Harvard a strengthened "core" of scholars in international studies. Four new chairs will be established in the Faculty of Law, and one in the Faculty of Education. Four chairs will be shared by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and the Faculty of Administration. The Ford grant provides $4.5 million for the endowment of the nine professorships.

A new International Studies building will house the Center for International Affairs, some programs of the Graduate School of Public Administration, the Russian Research Center, the Center for Middle Eastern Studies, the Center for East Asian Studies, the program of Latin American Studies, and related reference libraries and research collections. No date has been set for construction.

The Ford grant provides $2.5 million for the building, about on-half the estimated construction costs. Maintenance and operating costs will require a $5 million endowment.

Million a Year

Pusey said Friday, "We've been dreaming about this building for years," but admitted it was still 'some years in the future."

The remaining $5.5 million will support the University's research in international affairs over a five-year period beginning in September. Pusey pointed out, however, that the University "has been operating international programs on a large Ford grant since 1960."

During negotiations with the Ford Foundation for the renewal of the 1960 grant, which expires this year, Pusey said the University applied for additional funds for the building and for new professorships.

Two Gave More

Although individuals have contributed more than $12.5 million to Harvard, the Ford grant is the largest lump-sum gift the University has ever received. Edward Harkness, who contributed heavily toward the construction of the Houses in the 1930's gave almost $13 million in a series of smaller installments.

Gordon McKay, who gave Harvard a laboratory and endowed several chairs, contributed over $15.5 million, but the largest single amount the University ever received from him was $8.5 million.

Pusey said Friday that "several departments within the Faculty of Arts and Sciences have expressed interest in setting up interdepartmental programs" with money from the grant. The Ford award stresses the value of "interdisciplinary and comparative research."

Dean Ford predicted that the chairs to be shared by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and the Faculty of Public Administration would go primarily to the departments of Social Relations and Government. Economics has been the primary focus of international development studies until now, Ford sad, and more research is needed in the fields of sociology and political sciences.