Harvard's Outside Support Increases to $59 Million

Harvard received $59 million in outside support during the 1975-76 fiscal year, an increase of 13 per cent, an annual survey by the Council for Financial Aid to Education reported Friday.

With a $6.6 million increase over last year, Harvard continues to lead the nation's universities in outside aid, the survey said.

Dr. Chase N. Peterson '52, vice president for alumni affairs and development, said yesterday the increase in support, which includes contributions from alumni, non-alumni, foundations and corporations, might be caused by an improvement in the national economy and increased staff effort in Harvard fund drives.

"People have grown to expect Harvard's large outside support," Peterson said.

Harvard has led the nation in outside aid for six of the last seven years, he said.

Following Harvard as leading beneficiaries of private donations were the University of California system with $57.4 million and Stanford with $41.7 million. Yale finished fourth, with $37.7 million.

Voluntary gifts increased 11 per cent for colleges and universities nationwide, the survey said.

George Putnam '49, treasurer of the University, said yesterday it is difficult to determine what causes increases and decreases in outside support.

"Some years lots of alumni who we know are going to give money die, and some years they don't," Putnam said, adding that there was a decrease in bequests last year.

Outside support for the University is a major factor in determining tuition levels, but the increases will not bring tuition levels down, Putnam said.

Putnam said that he hopes the University's outside support will surpass $60 million next year.

He added, "We've averaged in the middle 50s for quite a few years. More effort is being spent on breaking out of it, and this whole year has been better economically."

A breakdown of the University's outside funding for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1976 shows the following contributions:

* alumni $14,946,000

* non-alumni $4,908,000

* corporations $7,146,000

* foundations $15,385,000

* other donors $3,245,000

* bequests $11,856,000

* deferred gifts $1,536,000