Plans for Great Hall Continue

Harvard will likely continue with proposed renovations of the Freshman Union despite protests by a group of alumni, Harvard Provost Albert S. Carnesale said in an interview Wednesday.

Administrators will carefully consider the group's arguments, however, he said, emphasizing that the decision to renovate was made after consideration of similar concerns.

Representatives of the "Committee to Save the Great Hall of the Harvard Freshman Union" said they intend to express to Harvard President Neil L. Rudenstine their feeling that the Great Hall must be preserved because of its historical value.

Carnesale said Harvard is fully aware of its responsibility to preserve its historical buildings and pointed to the extensive renovation efforts made to Yard dormitories.

"Yet at the same time, we have to adapt to change and changing needs," Carnesale said.

The advantages to transforming the Union into a Humanities Center were deemed to outweigh the costs of the change, he added.

The price of building a new humanities facility similar to the one proposed in another location would be substantially higher than the projected costs of renovating the Union, Carnesale said.

"Is it worth sacrificing what that money would buy, be it financial aid for students or maintaining professorships, to maintain the Union? When the focus is just on the costs [of the change], that's not useful analysis," he said.

Carnesale said the situation is not urgent and that administrators and the alumni group will have ample time to address any concerns about the renovation.

"It doesn't appear to be a shortfused crisis," Carnesale said. "I don't expect the Freshman Union will be reconfigured over the next week-and-a-half."

Trip to Asia

Carnesale also announced he will be taking a week-long trip to Asia to help raise funds for the University's capital campaign.

Carnesale said he will meet with alumni groups who have expressed significant interest in contributing to the campaign in Korea, the Philippines, Taiwan, Japan and Hong Kong.

President Rudenstine is currently in Mexico on a similar trip

"It doesn't appear to be a shortfused crisis," Carnesale said. "I don't expect the Freshman Union will be reconfigured over the next week-and-a-half."

Trip to Asia

Carnesale also announced he will be taking a week-long trip to Asia to help raise funds for the University's capital campaign.

Carnesale said he will meet with alumni groups who have expressed significant interest in contributing to the campaign in Korea, the Philippines, Taiwan, Japan and Hong Kong.

President Rudenstine is currently in Mexico on a similar trip