And Speaking of Corporatization
Mass Hall is taking two steps that will increase the level of bureacracy and corporate culture at Harvard.
First, provost Steve Hyman has announced the creation of three new vice-provosts to preside over international affairs, research policy, and diversity. (The latter was first announced last week, of course.) Though Hyman says the jobs will go to faculty members to ensure that there's a "faculty sensibility" there, they reflect a growing, power-centralizing central administration. For better or worse.
The second development is the announcement of a Harvard-branded credit card. As I wrote in Harvard Rules, Larry Summers has been considering the move for several years now. Lots of other universities do it, as a way to build alumni loyalty while creating an additional revenue stream. Harvard has held out largely out of a reluctance to commercialize its name. That reluctance is rapidly becoming a thing of the past.
Just listen to this language from the solicitation: "The Harvard Alumni Association World MasterCard offers a rewards program like no other, designed with distinguished Harvard graduates in mind. Only Crimson Rewards offers valuable perks with exclusive HAA rewards. You will receive one (1) Crimson Reward point for each $1 dollar you spend.* The more you use the card the faster your Crimson Rewards points add up."
Well, this is just bullshit, of course. This particular MasterCard offers a "rewards program" exactly like every other credit card—reward points, etc. And I love that phrase, "designed with distinguished Harvard graduates in mind." No, it's designed for any Harvard grad with a fair-to-middlin' credit history. But apparently a little sucking-up works.
I'm sure there are good arguments for this move, but there are good arguments against it, too. In a small way, such dishonest and insincere language is already a corruption of
veritas.
Interestingly, the proceeds from the card will go to a Summers' pet project: a "presidential scholars" program to fund graduate students. Summers is taking this step in order to fund a program near and dear to him....
Again, I raise this not to argue that it's a bad idea, simply to point out a theme.
