By Debra Bradley Ruder

Gazette Staff

A faculty committee has produced a report describing the financial relationships between the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) and the Central Administration.

The report by the FAS Committee on Resources follows some 18 months of information-gathering and discussions with the President and Provost and the vice presidents for Finance and for Administration.

Established by FAS Dean Jeremy R. Knowles in 1995, the Resources Committee was charged with identifying issues, projects, proposals, and trends that might affect the allocation of significant resources within the FAS or between the Central Administration and the FAS, among its tasks.

The report, to be presented at next week's Faculty Meeting, describes the basic activities of the Central Administration and how funds currently flow from the FAS to the Center, and how funds and services go back to the FAS.

Committee members address and raise questions about financial accountability, "transparency" in financial matters, and governance.

For example, they express concern that clear lines of responsibility be delineated for particular activities, policies, and associated expenses. They worry that Harvard "does not have formal governance structures to ensure consultation for major decisions by the Center, or by other Faculties, that will have an impact on all parts of the University."

Knowles, in a cover letter accompanying the report, notes that "Under President Rudenstine's leadership, we have already made good progress in clarifying these lines of responsibility." He also highlights an effort under way in the office of the Vice President for Finance to develop alternative models for the flow of funds through the University.

"This effort, greatly to be applauded, aims to improve both the accountability and the transparency of this important piece of the University's financial arrangements," Knowles wrote.

Copies of the document were shared with members of the Central Administration as well.

"I know the President, the Provost, and the other Vice Presidents have all received copies of the committee's report, and all of us look forward to continuing cooperative efforts with the committee on the issues it has thoughtfully raised," said Beppie Huidekoper, Vice President for Finance.

Serving on last year's FAS Resources Committee were professors Leo Damrosch, Dale Jorgenson, Robert Kirshner, Mark Kishlansky, Kay Shelemay, and George Whitesides.