Spence Report Lists FAS's Top Fundraising Priorities

Charting a course to take the Faculty of arts and Sciences (FAS) into the next century, Dean of the Faculty A. Michael Spence released a report this week detailing FAS' massive fundraising needs.

In his annual budget letter mailed to faculty members this week, Spence spotlighted eight areas where he said a major infusion of new funds was needed to ensure Harvard's continued pre-eminence. Top priorities include internationalization of the curriculum and student body and a dramatic expansion in the number of professors.

"I believe that Harvard is the leader in American higher education today, as it has been for a century," Spence wrote, in uncharacteristically sweeping language. "If we are imaginative and aggressive, take carefully calculated risks, and are properly financed we will remain so."

"But our current financial condition is not healthy enough to sustain Harvard College as the symbol of academic excellence it has been in the past," Spence continued. "Our only feasible source of significant new income to meet this challenge is fundraising."

Spence's letter comes as Harvard finalizes plans for an unprecedented $2 billion University-wide capital campaign. FAS, historically the largest fundraiser of Harvard's nine faculties, is likely to receive the lion's share of the campaign's windfall.

Although Spence's letter did not include specific fundraising goals, sources have estimated FAS's target at $1 to $1.5 billion. FAS's last campaign, which corresponded with the College's 350th anniversary in 1986, netted more than $350 million.

In an interview this week, Spence called the priorities "half-established," saying they are still subject to faculty discussion and governing board approval.

A fundraising source said that a final decision on the capital drive would probably come from President Derek C. Bok and the Corporation this winter, and Spence said the effort would probably move into "relatively higher gear" during the next academic year.

But until then, Spence and other administrators are laying the groundwork for expansion, coming up with detailed plans for FAS' future and deciding how to sell them to Harvard's alumni. Last Sunday, Spence and several associate deans met with members of the Board of Overseers to explain those plans.

Spence's fundraising letter also highlighted the difficulty of fundraising for Harvard's needs at a time when "there is considerable skepticism about higher education in the country."

"Because Harvard is still the leader inAmerican higher education, it falls to us tocreate a viable vision of the research universityfor the next century and to turn that vision intoa reality," Spence wrote.

Undergraduate Education

Spence wrote that FAS should improve itsstudent advising system and increase opportunitiesfor interaction between students and faculty. Toaccomplish this end, FAS will have to expand, hesaid.

Spence proposed the gradual establishment of 40new non-science professorships; the FAS currentlyhas about 800 members, many of whom are in thesciences. Depending on how many are tenuredpositions, the price tag could fall anywherebetween $40 and $90 million, according to afundraising source.

Sciences and Engineering

Because Harvard risks losing out in scienceeducation to competitors such as Stanford,Princeton, MIT and the California Institute oftechnology, Spence wrote that the University mustdecide which scientific fields it can excel in,and devote new resources to them.

Spence tentatively proposed 25 to 30 newteaching positions in the sciences. Againdepending on the breakdown between junior andsenior positions, the cost could be between $25and $67 million.

The dean also proposed at least two new sciencebuildings, one next to the Physics and theDivision of Applied Sciences offices, and anotherto connect the Chemistry and Molecular Biologybuildings. The fundrasing source estimatedconstruction costs to be in the $100 millionrange.

Internationalization

Spence wrote that FAS should also shore up itsfaculty strength in Latin American and MiddleEastern studies and provide "full funding" for theHarvard Academy for International and Foreign AreaStudies, which seeks to nurture young scholars inthe field.

Spence also called for resources to be devotedto a program that will set up a more formalforeign internship program for undergraduates anda plan to enroll 200 to 300 more foreign studentsat the College by expanding the student body.

Spence proposed visiting undergraduateexchanges and a plan to bring "distinguished"foreign students to Harvard for a year after theyhave completed their undergraduate degree abroad.

The fundraising source put the total cost forthe internationalization plan between $125 and$150 million.

The Humanities Office Crunch

The much-talked about transformation of theHarvard Union into a "Humanities Center" andMemorial Hall into a dining hall and studentcenter will be a fundraising priority, Spencewrote.

Spence said the plan will help to alleviate asevere faculty office space shortage, which hitsjunior faculty especially hard, and allowdepartments to house their members closer togetherthan is currently possible.

The estimated cost for the plan is $50 million.

Economics and Government

"Economics and Government are on the verge ofhaving their development stunted by the confinesof Littauer [Center]" where they are currentlyhoused, Spence wrote. He also said thesedepartments should expand their internationalcomponents and be given more extensive computerfacilities.

Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

GSAS Dean Brendan A. Maher has said that thegraduate school needs more money for directfellowships to allow students writing theirdissertations to spend less time teaching. Heargues that this will reduce the attrition rateamong graduate students and allow Harvard to startaddressing an impending nationwide shortage ofPh.Ds.

Maher said GSAS, which historically has hadfinancial difficulties, "will be grateful foranything we can get," but estimated that it wouldneed $30 to $35 million to fund a sufficientnumber of fellowships.

Spence wrote that GSAS also needs more moneyfor student housing in an increasingly expensivemarket.

Renovations, Student Groups

Spence wrote that the Yard residence halls arein "dire need of repair" because they are so old."Raising the necessary funds will definitely be acampaign priority, although it may not berealistic to expect donors to give directly forthis purpose," he wrote.

The plan to turn Memorial Hall into a studentcenter could provide more space for campusorganizations, Spence wrote, but he said extramoney would also be needed for direct monetarysupport of groups.

Library Space

"The Harvard College Library is, by allaccounts, the greatest research library in theworld...But we do not have the resources--infacilities or funds--to continue on our presenttrajectory," Spence wrote.

A faculty committee is now studying the libraryproblem, and will probably report to Spence thisspring. Some faculty and administrators haveindicated that a new library could be built in thevicinity of Pusey and Lamont Libraries.

Excerpts From FAS's 'Wish List'

Priority  Price Taginternationalization  $125-150 millionTwo new science buildings  $100 million40 new non-science professorships  $40-90million25-30 new science professorships  $25-67millionHumanities Center in the Union  $50 millionGSAS financial aid  $30-35 million* Numbers are estimates gathered from severalsources