Public Policy

Back in the late 1960s, President Bok, then dean of the Law School, realized an increasing number of Law School students were taking jobs in government without a strong public policy background. After some discussion with John Dunlop, dean of the Faculty at the time, and Donald K. Price, dean of the Kennedy School of Government, Bok decided to push for a broad ranging public policy program at Harvard that would train this new breed of student for careers in public service.

But ever since the drive started, it's been rough going. A grant by IBM creating two professorships--one in technology and public policy, the other in political economy--is the lion's share of the $2 million currently raised toward a $25-million goal.

Thomas M. Reardon said this week that the program has no constituency within the University to draw support from because there are as yet barely any wealthy graduates from the school. Reardon says he's been forced to go beyond the traditional Harvard sources and has started to tap corporation money and big donors to political campaigns. "Those that will work in government must have an understanding of the complexities and limitations of government," Reardon said.

Reardon says he is hoping that corporations will see the program as being in their self interest because it will educate people into the complexities of our economic system.