"Harvard does not need to be reinvented. It needs to be strengthened, protected, and guided with clarity. The work of an Overseer is not ideological. It is fiduciary. It is institutional. It is about stewardship. These are the issues that matter most to me." - Teresa Clarke
1. Academic Excellence and Intellectual Rigor
Harvard’s defining asset is the quality of its scholarship and teaching. The University must continue to:
- Protect academic freedom
- Uphold standards of excellence across disciplines
- Recruit and retain world-class faculty
- Ensure students are challenged, not sheltered
Excellence is not self-executing. It requires active oversight, serious evaluation, and the courage to insist on high standards.
2. Institutional Integrity and Governance
Strong institutions are built on trust. To uphold that trust, Harvard must operate with:
- Clear and coherent governance structures
- Transparency in major decisions
- Accountability at every level
- Long-term financial discipline
Having built institutions across sectors, I know how fragile trust can be—and how essential it is to safeguard it. Effective oversight requires consistently and respectfully asking hard questions, not as an act of opposition but as a commitment to stewardship.
3. Access, Opportunity, and Educational Pathways
Talent is universal. Opportunity is not. Harvard has a responsibility to ensure that:
- Students from all backgrounds can access a Harvard education
- Financial aid remains robust and sustainable
- First-generation and international students are fully supported
- Educational pipelines expand beyond traditional networks
My lifelong work in education reflects a belief that access is not charity. It is institutional strength.
4. Freedom of Inquiry and Civil Discourse
A great university must be a place where ideas are examined with rigor and exchanged with respect. To fulfill its mission, Harvard should:
- Protect open inquiry
- Encourage genuine viewpoint diversity
- Model principled, civil disagreement
- Prepare students to navigate complex global challenges
Intellectual exploration cannot flourish when inquiry is chilled, nor can a university thrive without shared norms of respect. A commitment to both freedom of thought and civil discourse is essential to the pursuit of truth.
5. Global Leadership and Responsibility
Harvard is not a local institution. It is global. Its research, alumni network, and partnerships shape policy, markets, and culture worldwide. The University should:
- Deepen engagement with emerging markets and the Global South
- Expand global research collaboration
- Equip students to operate in an interconnected world
- Prepare students to engage complex global challenges
My work across Africa and global markets has shown me how powerful institutions can influence outcomes far beyond their campuses. Harvard must continue to lead responsibly.
6. Preparing Students for a Changing World
The pace of technological, geopolitical, and economic change is accelerating. Harvard must prepare students not just for first jobs, but for lifelong leadership. That means:
- Integrating technology, including AI, across disciplines
- Strengthening ethical frameworks alongside innovation
- Bridging humanities, sciences, and professional schools
- Supporting interdisciplinary research
The future will not be siloed. Our institutions cannot be either.
7. Stewardship for the Long Term
Endowments, reputation, academic quality, and alumni trust are cumulative assets. They are built over generations and can be weakened quickly. The role of an Overseer is to:
- Think beyond news cycles
- Evaluate performance thoughtfully
- Support strong presidential leadership
- Protect Harvard’s long-term institutional health
Stewardship is quiet work. It is not performative. It is serious.