My Fellow Harvard Alumni,
I am honored to be a write-in candidate for the Board of Overseers, and I humbly ask for your vote. As an educator, journalist, and long-practicing Buddhist, I bring a unique perspective focused on humanism, integrity, and fulfilling Harvard's original promises.
In the 1600s, Harvard received thousands of acres of land from indigenous peoples with the promise to educate Native Americans. This core commitment was ignored for centuries. If elected, I will advocate for Harvard to revisit and resolve this inexcusable breach of trust. The University must formally reckon with this stain on its history.
Moreover, Harvard continues to possess indigenous burial artifacts that should be returned to their rightful owners and resting places. Discussions around diversity, equity and inclusion ring hollow without addressing these profound debts from our past.
As an overseer, I will be a voice for ethical leadership guided by common sense over corporate hierarchies. Harvard is not a business - it is an association of people striving to improve society and the world. We must uphold humanistic values over profits and power structures.
I also believe Harvard can embrace learning diversity by looking beyond traditional metrics. Let us follow pioneering work like Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences to guide more holistic admissions decisions--without ignoring the usefulness of standardized testing. There are many paths to excellence.
If elected, I vow to maintain full transparency and constant communication with my fellow alumni constituents. You deserve overseers who will fight for Harvard's highest ideals.
To vote for me, simply write in "William J. O'Reilly" under the "Write-In Candidates" section on the ballot. I humbly ask for your support to bring a fresh, ethical perspective to Harvard's governing board.
Thank you, and I invite you to interact with my ideas just below, on any social media platform this may appear on. Be well, and hope to hear from you soon.
William J O'Reilly
EdM Harvard Graduate School of Education
Partner, Harvard College Center
for Public Interest Careers
www.innermotivation.net