Financial Aid Supports Embarrassment of Riches

To the editors:



Re: New Aid Plan Targets More Affluent Families, news, Dec. 11.

As a current student at the Law School and a graduate of the College, I view Harvard as a second home and I am proud to be an alumnus. I applauded Harvard’s efforts under former President Lawrence H. Summers to enable all students to attend Harvard by waiving fees for families making $40,000 to $60,000 a year. However, I am deeply dismayed by Harvard’s gleeful announcement today that it is increasing its financial aid for families making up to $180,000. Now, those families will only be required to pay 10 percent of their income to the College in tuition, instead of 16 percent. Let me be the first, but surely not the last, Harvard alumnus to state that as long as the University gives aid to families in that income bracket, I will not give one penny to the University. Enabling families to buy second homes, SUVs, and designer clothing is not the purpose of financial aid, or so I had thought. But I can cannot help but conclude that that is the ultimate effect of Harvard’s new plan. I wear old T-shirts, and they suit me just fine. Others wear designer clothing and there is nothing wrong with that. What is wrong is asking alumni to contribute to the embarrassment of riches already bestowed upon the American upper class. I will not do so, and I encourage others to withhold their contributions as well.



ANDREW L. KALLOCH ‘06

Cambridge, MA

December 10, 2007