University gets new wave of trustees

The Board of Trustees will hold its most important annual meeting tomorrow, marking the first time that most of this year's seven new trustees will come together to plan the University's long-term future.

The Board is likely to experience a period of transition with a large percentage of new members _ seven out of a total of 37 _ as well as the departure of its chairman, Nathan Gantcher (LA '62), at the end of the academic year. It remains to be seen how the dynamics of the Board will change, but new trustee Deborah Jospin (LA '80) said, "there is a leadership structure in place on the Board which really seems respectful of new voices."

The names of several new trustees may be familiar to Tufts students. Trustee Dan Kraft's (LA '87) family donated funds for the Kraft athletic field during his sophomore year. Kraft also directs the Kraft Group, a private holding company best known for its ownership of the New England Patriots.

"I feel like a freshman just walking into orientation," Kraft said of joining the Board. Kraft met his wife during his freshman year in Carmichael Hall and has an interest in athletics and student life at Tufts.

Another trustee whose name students may recognize is Fares I. Fares (LA '92), who created the Issam M. Fares lecture series in honor of his father. Fares studied art history at Tufts and currently directs Wedge Advisors Ltd., a London-based investment group.

The existing Board is also joined by two new alumni trustees this year, Jospin and Edward M. Swan, Jr. (LA '63). Seeing Tufts as "a great University that has not publicized enough," Jospin hopes to reengage alumni and expand upon Tufts' long history of encouraging public service.

Tufts should "educate students for a lifetime of civic and community engagement," Jospin said, a goal she has tried to nurture by serving on the national advisory council for the University College for Citizenship and Public Service (UCCPS).

She emphasized the need for a strong student-trustee relationship. "The University exists to serve students; the trustees exist to serve the University," Jospin said.

Swan is the second new alumni trustee to join the Board and he is also involved in many other public service activities. Swan also serves on the Board of Trustees at Dillard University and has worked with the Boston Boys & Girls Club and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Many of the new trustees have long-standing relationships with the University. Though he is now at U-Mass Boston, new trustee Dr. Bernard Harleston was hired as an Assistant Professor of Psychology in 1956. Harleston moved on to a number of positions during his 25-year career at Tufts, including serving as Dean of Arts & Sciences.

Harleston maintains many contacts, which might prove useful as a trustee. At a recent trustee forum, for example, Harleston said that University Professor and Former Provost Sol Gittleman was the best psychology student he ever had.

Another trustee who has seen Tufts' development over the last 30 years is A. Dana Callow, Jr. (LA '74). The parent of a current Tufts student, Callow has been affiliated with Tufts through the administrations of its last four presidents and holds a particular interest in building the endowment and strengthening the University connection with alumni.

Other trustees have newer relationships with Tufts. Karen Mavrides became affiliated with the University when her daughters attended during the 1990s. Mavrides, a resident of Greece, now hosts dinners for Tufts groups at her home in Athens to raise interest for the University in the Mediterranean.

Alumni trustees are elected by the body of living alumni _ over 60,000 _ who receive ballots to choose from among the nominees. The Alumni Association works with the trustees to select candidates that will complement the Board's strengths and weakness.

A separate trustee committee is currently working on finding the next trustee chairman, who will be chosen from the current 37 members.