Harvard Will Join New Lobby Group Of Private Schools

Harvard will join a new lobbying organization created to represent private schools at the state and national level, a University spokesman said yesterday.

Michael F. Brewer, director of government relations, said Harvard will join the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU).

Charles U. Daly, vice president for government and community affairs, said yesterday that Harvard's affiliation with the group will be on a "trial basis," adding that organizations of this kind have generally been ineffective in the past.

"It is conceivable that the new organization will be useful, but not very likely," Daly said. "We are working on hope rather than faith."

Independent Education

Richard E. Crockford, a member of the board of directors of NAICU and president of Dean Junior College, yesterday called the new organization "significant" because "it will stress the importance of independent education."

Crockford said the NAICU will work to secure student financial aid, alleviate the "tuition gap" between public and private universities and create a greater interest in private education.

Members of the Association of American Colleges (AAC), which consists of both public and private colleges, formed the NAICU last week because some members felt that the AAC had neglected private colleges, Crockford said.

The NAICU will remain independent from the AAC and will lobby for private schools only.

Brewer said the NAICU hopefully will supersede the various overlapping boards now employed by the AAC.

Harvard will remain a member of the AAC, Brewer said.