Off the Plateau

Harvard fundraisers have a closet full of cliche metaphors to describe their financial goals and dilemmas and for the last few years "getting off the plateau" has been the fundraisers' key phrase.

Figures released this week show that Harvard development officers finally got off their plateau--in other words, they broke the $60 million mark in fundraising last year.

In fact, the University received $64.9 million in the fiscal year ending June 30, 1977, more donations than it's received in a decade.

The University remained on that just under $60 million plateau for five years, and financial officers say they are encouraged by the recent upturn in both the national economy and Harvard alumni's donations.