Changes Will Fill Glimp's Vacancy

In preparation for the second half of its massive fundraising drive, the University earlier this month announced a restructuring of its Development Office.

In the new structure, Associate Dean of Development for the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) Susan Feagin will take Reardon's place as Director of Development and Deputy Director of the Harvard College Fund and Major Gifts Roger P. Cheever '67 will be promoted to replace her.

Feagin said she is excited to take the new position, particularly at such a critical time for the University's fundraising efforts.

"This is a fantastic opportunity," Feagin said. "I'm glad to be able to see the FAS campaign through to completion."

In addition to filling the position vacated by outgoing Vice President for Development and Alumni Affairs Fred L. Glimp '50--who will stay on in a more limited role as a Special Assistant to the President for Development--the Development Office is reorganizing to maximize its resources and meet the demands presented by the second half of the University's $2.1 billion capital campaign, according to a memo from Thomas M. Reardon, Glimp's successor and current director of development.

The second half of the capital campaign looms ahead, and experts say it will be more difficult than the first--"The second billion is always the hardest," Glimp once quipped--because those closest to the University have already been tapped for contributions.

In addition, development workers say Glimp's shoes will be difficult to fill. Glimp entered Harvard as an undergraduate in 1946 and has hardly left campus since, serving in a host of positions over the last 50 years, providing him with an extraordinary ability to raise funds.

Feagin has shown herself to be more than qualified to meet the challenges ahead and has earned the trust of the staff, Reardon wrote.

"Susan is uniquely suited to take on these new responsibilities. By background, experience, temperament and judgment, she is ideally equipped to lead University Development in this challenging period," Reardon wrote.

All of the appointments have come from internal promotions, as have many University appointments in the last year, a technique designed to minimize the impact of transition during the campaign.

These moves have, as a whole, been widely acclaimed by Development Office personnel. One development staffer said the general consensus was there could have been no better choice than Reardon to replace Glimp and no better choice than Feagin to replace Reardon.

Fine-Tuning

In addition to the appointments, the Development Office has taken the opportunity to adjust its staff to meet the demands of the future, including the second half of the campaign. Departments have been consolidated, responsibilities shuffled and personnel shifted to anticipate Harvard's needs down the road, Feagin said.

"The replacements gave us the opportunity to re-look at all of the senior staff and make sure all of our strengths are being used in the best way," she said.

The most significant change in the restructuring is the creation of the new director of leadership gifts, to be filled by Major Gifts Development Officer James J. Husson, which has jurisdiction over fundraising for the central administration through University funds and the President's Fund.

Heretofore, University officials say the emphasis in fundraising has been on helping Harvard's schools in their efforts while the unprecedented idea of raising funds for the center has been largely ignored.

These funds are the centerpiece of President Neil L. Rudenstine's efforts to increase coordination in the University and foster inter-faculty initiatives, but, since the center has never raised funds before and donors are accustomed to giving to the school from which they graduated, it is expected that raising them will be difficult.

It is important, therefore, that the new position has been created, Feagin said. It was clear that the University component of the campaign needed more resources, she said.

Husson was an excellent choice for the post, she said, because he was instrumental in the planning of the campaign.

"Much of the success will depend on how well we can make a case for the funds for the center," Feagin said. "Jim is very talented. He is a terrific strategist and a wonderful fundraiser.

"Susan is uniquely suited to take on these new responsibilities. By background, experience, temperament and judgment, she is ideally equipped to lead University Development in this challenging period," Reardon wrote.

All of the appointments have come from internal promotions, as have many University appointments in the last year, a technique designed to minimize the impact of transition during the campaign.

These moves have, as a whole, been widely acclaimed by Development Office personnel. One development staffer said the general consensus was there could have been no better choice than Reardon to replace Glimp and no better choice than Feagin to replace Reardon.

Fine-Tuning

In addition to the appointments, the Development Office has taken the opportunity to adjust its staff to meet the demands of the future, including the second half of the campaign. Departments have been consolidated, responsibilities shuffled and personnel shifted to anticipate Harvard's needs down the road, Feagin said.

"The replacements gave us the opportunity to re-look at all of the senior staff and make sure all of our strengths are being used in the best way," she said.

The most significant change in the restructuring is the creation of the new director of leadership gifts, to be filled by Major Gifts Development Officer James J. Husson, which has jurisdiction over fundraising for the central administration through University funds and the President's Fund.

Heretofore, University officials say the emphasis in fundraising has been on helping Harvard's schools in their efforts while the unprecedented idea of raising funds for the center has been largely ignored.

These funds are the centerpiece of President Neil L. Rudenstine's efforts to increase coordination in the University and foster inter-faculty initiatives, but, since the center has never raised funds before and donors are accustomed to giving to the school from which they graduated, it is expected that raising them will be difficult.

It is important, therefore, that the new position has been created, Feagin said. It was clear that the University component of the campaign needed more resources, she said.

Husson was an excellent choice for the post, she said, because he was instrumental in the planning of the campaign.

"Much of the success will depend on how well we can make a case for the funds for the center," Feagin said. "Jim is very talented. He is a terrific strategist and a wonderful fundraiser.