WHILE YOU WERE AWAY

In early December 1997, a Hong Kong donor realized that a check for about $385,000 that he intended for University use hadn't made its way across the Pacific.

The donor, who University officials refused to name, had written the check in December 1996 to the Harvard Club of Hong Kong expecting that the money be turned over to the University.

But the University didn't receive it until March of this year, three months after officials began investigating the club. At that time, former club president Steven Chick delivered a check to Harvard for $423,000, according to current club President Aaron Tan.

What happened to the money during the intervening 16 months, whether other funds are missing and who might be behind this confusion are questions currently being investigated in an Ernst and Young audit.

Club members hope the auditors will answers these questions, but, in the meantime, some of them say their former president, who was ousted from the club's top post in emergency elections on March 5, could provide some answers.

Chick, whom The Crimson telephoned a half dozen times over two weeks for this story, could not be reached for comment, but numerous club officials confirmed recent events.

When the University learned of the missing donation, officials attempted to contact Chick but were unable to reach him for several weeks, Tan said. In late January 1998, they notified the club's executive committee of the missing donation.

When Chick was finally reached, club officials said he refused to surrender club assets, including the only complete membership list, various financial records and the sole key to the club's post office box, where bank statements are sent.

In March, around the time he wrote a check to the University for $423,000, Chick finally turned over the club is financial documents to Ernst and Young. In April, he turned over the membership list.

On April 18, the club held official elections which placed Tan in the top spot and made Georgia Bush treasurer. Eighty members voted in the election, according to the club newsletter.