Faculty, Students, Administrators Fill Candidates' Coffers

According to reports filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC), Harvard affiliates this year donated more than $10,000 to the campaigns of Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) and his Republican challenger, Gov. William F. Weld '66.

Among the most notable benefactors are Baker Professor of Economics Martin S. Feldstein '61, University Marshal Richard S. Hunt and David R. Mittelman, a bond manager for Harvard Management.

The list was compiled from reports that the FEC requires candidates to submit throughout the election year. Because many donors refuse to name their employer, however, the search is not comprehensive and may have missed some Harvard employees.

Most faculty members contacted by The Crimson were candid about their political opinions.

Feldstein says he feels Weld "has done an outstanding job as governor and would bring intelligence and good sense to the Senate."

Although he served as the chair of the Council of Economic Advisers in the Reagan administration and is a well-known Republican, Feldstein says his $2,000 donation marks his first financial contribution to Weld, who is now in his second term as governor.

But Feldstein adamantly denies that his political activity may influence his teaching.

Hunt, who like Feldstein contributed to Weld's campaign, says he nevertheless has a deep respect for Kerry.

"I'm a centrist, and both men are mavericks in their party," Hunt says. "I happen to agree with some of his [Weld's] social positions."

Asked whether he is worried about Weld's relationship to conservative Republicans who have proposed cuts in funding for higher education, the University marshal says he feels Weld has distanced himself from the extremes of the Republican party.

"I don't think he's associated himself with the Gingrich plan," Hunt says.

Williams Professor of Design Emeritus William A. Doebele, a Kerry supporter, also says he respects both men.

Although Doebele says he "agrees with John Kerry's positions," he notes that he "wants Weld to stay governor."

The youngest Harvard benefactor was Matthew T. Ozug '00, who contributed $225 to the Kerry campaign.

Ozug, a Bridgewater, Mass., resident, says he bought $25 tickets to a Kerry fundraiser for himself and 10 of his friends.

"Watching the debates and listening to both sides, it's clear that we need the Democrats back in power," he says. "This is my first voting opportunity."

Other Harvard officials were not as willing to speak about their political activities.

Mittelman, a bond manager for Harvard Management Company who earned $3.7 million last year according to The Boston Globe, refused to speak to The Crimson about his $1,000 gift to the Weld campaign.

And Sandra S. Coleman, administrative dean at the Law School, expressed concern that her personal political belief, evidenced by a $500 contribution to the Kerry campaign, would be confused with her professional responsibilities.

Coleman says she and other law school administrators are very careful to keep the two issues separate.

"Our political support and our beliefs don't have anything to do with the way we do our jobs," Coleman says.

An ardent Kerry supporter and lifelong Democrat, Coleman says this policy does not damper the political activity of administrators.

"I feel perfectly free to support whoever I wish," she says.

Fewer Donations

Despite this year's tight race between two well-known Bay State politicians, the list of Harvard benefactors is notably smaller than a similar list compiled in 1994 for the Senate race between Republican venture capitalist W. Mitt Romney, a Business School graduate, and Sen. Edward M. Kennedy '54-'54 (D-Mass).

Of the 12 business school professors who made contributions to Romney's campaign, only one--Sarofim-Rock Professor of Business Administration Howard H. Stevenson--also gave to Weld's campaign.

Of the 11 University faculty members who contributed to Kennedy's campaign, only Class of 1960 Professor of Business Administration Rosabeth Moss Kanter gave money to Kerry.

Hunt supported Kennedy financially in 1994 but donated $1,500 to Weld this year.

Donations by individuals are tightly regulated by the Federal Election Campaign Act.

Individuals may give $1,000 per election (with primary elections and general elections in the same year counting as two elections) to a candidate or a candidate committee, $20,000 to a party committee per calendar year and $5,000 to any other political committees per calendar years.

According to financial figures released last week, the two Senate candidates, though dead even in the polls, have disparate financial situations.

While Kerry is outspending Weld, the governor is continually having more success fundraising.

As of Oct. 16, The Kerry Committee had raised $3,618,659 and spent $6,531,659 over the course of the entire campaign.

As of the same date, Weld For Senate Inc. had raised $5,933,310 and spent $5,794,090.

Other Donations

FEC reports also revealed that Pellegrino University Professor Edward O. Wilson contributed $200 to the unsuccessful Congressional campaign of Ian A. Bowles '87.

Bowles, an environmentalist and former Capitol Hill staffer, lost to Norfolk County District Attorney William Delahunt in the Democratic primary to for the tenth district being vacated by retiring Rep. Gerry Studds (D-Cohasset).