Harvard Takes Action To Liberalize Voting In Overseer Elections

The University has begun action to liberalize the procedure for electing the Board of Overseers, one of Harvard's two top governing bodies.

A bill has been filed with the state legislature by Senator Oliver F. Ames '43 (R-Back Bay), and Rep. Robert Quinn (D-Dorchester), which, if passed, would eventually make it possible for Harvard College graduates to vote for Overseers immediately after graduation.

The Board of Overseers, whose chief function is to approve appointments made by the Presidents and Fellows, consists of 30 alumni. Five members are elected at each commencement for six-year terms.

Under present Massachusetts law a Harvard College alumnus can not vote for Overseers "before the fifth annual election after the graduation of his class."

This law, which was passed 101 years ago, has become the source of increasing alumni complaint in recent years. Many alumni officials feel that the rule discourages participation in any alumni activities and hurts fund raising attempts.

Since Harvard operates under a special charter granted before standard incorporation procedures were developed, the University must go back to the legislature for changes. The legislature has relinquished most of its control. The five year rule is the last vestige of the Commonwealth's official influence in Harvard affairs.

The Ames-Quinn bill--which actually is in the form of a petition to the General Court by Sargent Kennedy '28, secretary to the corporation -- is designed to end even this. The bill asks the legislature to shift the power of determining who may vote in Overseers' elections from the General Court to the University.

Kennedy said yesterday that if the bill is passed the governing boards would probably decide to allow graduates of the college to vote in the first Overseers' elections following their graduation.

The present law is unclear as to whether 'Cliffies, who hold Harvard A.B.'s but who did not attend Harvard College itself, can vote in the elections. If the bill is passed the decision will be left to the governing board, and no one knows if they will enfranchise the 'Cliffies. Most holders of advanced degrees, regardless of gender, eventually get to vote in the elections.

The five year waiting rule was created by the General Court in April, 1865. At that time one had to be physically present in the Yard on Commencement Day to vote for overseers and the law was passed out for fear that the newly graduated seniors and their graduate school counterparts would swamp the elections unless restrained.