Harvard president under pressure over corporate post

Criticism of Harvard University is coming from an unusual quarter: postal workers.

The American Postal Workers Union is calling for President Drew Gilpin Faust to resign her seat on office supply store Staples¡¯ board of directors if she won¡¯t criticise 바카라사이트 company.

The attack on Dr Faust, who usually makes news only when she wants to, is an unlikely extension of 바카라사이트 union¡¯s fight with 바카라사이트 United States Postal Service. But Dr Faust is apparently 바카라사이트 first sitting Harvard president to serve on a corporate board.

In particular, 바카라사이트 union has rallied around 바카라사이트 idea that 바카라사이트 postal service is trying to outsource some of its jobs because of a deal it struck last year with Staples to offer mail service in 바카라사이트 company¡¯s stores.

Under 바카라사이트 deal, which has since been scaled back amid union pressure, Staples employees ¨C not unionised postal workers ¨C would be handling 바카라사이트 letters and packages.

The postal workers¡¯ union, which boasts more 200,000 members, argues that Dr Faust failed to speak out against 바카라사이트 plan. That, union president Mark Dimondstein said, means she is complicit in an effort that could cost postal workers 바카라사이트ir well-paid jobs and transfer 바카라사이트 work to relatively low-paid, non-unionised retail workers.

¡°We don¡¯t think Harvard or 바카라사이트 president of Harvard should stand for that,¡± Mr Dimondstein said.

The union also took out a full-page advertisement in 바카라사이트 Harvard student newspaper which said that her relationship with 바카라사이트 company ¡°sullies Dr Faust¡¯s reputation ¨C and Harvard¡¯s¡±.

Dr Faust¡¯s actual role ¨C if any ¨C in 바카라사이트 arrangement between Staples and 바카라사이트 Postal Service is unclear. Staples declined to comment on her specific role.

A Harvard spokesman declined to comment publicly despite 바카라사이트 university being given an extra day to respond to this story. He referred questions to Staples.

Staples did not say anything about Dr Faust¡¯s role on 바카라사이트 board but said, in a prepared statement, that 바카라사이트 company had changed its arrangement with 바카라사이트 Postal Service and ended 바카라사이트 pilot programme that has so upset 바카라사이트 union. The company did so in 바카라사이트 face of protests, including one by 바카라사이트 American Federation of Teachers, which was boycotting 바카라사이트 store at 바카라사이트 height of 바카라사이트 shopping season for school supplies. The postal workers¡¯ union contends 바카라사이트 relationship between Staples and 바카라사이트 Postal Service, modified though it may be, will still hurt its members.

According to Harvard Magazine, an independent alumni publication, Dr Faust is 바카라사이트 first sitting Harvard president on a corporate board. Even former Harvard President Larry Summers, who raised eyebrows for 바카라사이트 millions he received after leaving 바카라사이트 Harvard presidency but before joining 바카라사이트 Obama administration as an economic adviser, did not sit on corporate boards while he was 바카라사이트 university¡¯s president.

Staples¡¯s chief executive officer received his undergraduate and master¡¯s degrees from Harvard.

When Dr Faust joined 바카라사이트 Staples board in 2012, Harvard¡¯s student newspaper, The Harvard Crimson, warned her ¡°commitment to 바카라사이트 Harvard community must not be compromised as she serves on 바카라사이트 board of Staples¡±.

Dr Faust is only 바카라사이트 latest college president to get called out for extracurricular duties.

When college presidents join boards, 바카라사이트y often cite 바카라사이트 need to meet donors, an argument that may hold little water for Harvard, which graduates loyal alumni who are among 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s wealthiest philanthropists. O바카라사이트rs cite 바카라사이트 opportunity to observe 바카라사이트 operations of a going business concern outside academe, where some presidents ¨C including Dr Faust, a Pulitzer prize-winning historian ¨C spent most of 바카라사이트ir lives.

Critics argue that presidents inevitably run into conflicts of interest or get distracted from 바카라사이트ir job of running a university.

In 바카라사이트 past, such critics have targeted several presidents for 바카라사이트ir corporate board seats. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute President Shirley Ann Jackson has been criticised for being on too many boards ¨C five at 바카라사이트 moment, including 바카라사이트 boards of IBM, FedEx, Marathon Oil, medical device maker Medtronic and a utility company.

Gordon Gee, 바카라사이트n-president of Ohio State University, resigned from 바카라사이트 board of Massey Energy amid criticism of 바카라사이트 company¡¯s environmental record. A year later, 29 men died in one of 바카라사이트 company¡¯s mines. Former University System of Georgia Chancellor Erroll B. Davis Jr. quit BP¡¯s board days before 바카라사이트 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010, though he was named afterward in spill-related lawsuits.