The governing structure of Harvard University is reviewed, and the findings include the following: (1) Harvard's present administrative and governance structure utilize corporate techniques of management that allow the president to diffuse administrative tasks without diffusing power--the difficulty of locating responsibility in the decentralized administration limits the degree to which any administrator is held accountable for his or her actions; (2) Harvard's governing body, the Harvard Corporation, is made up of white male professionals and businessmen and operates in secret; (3) a university's need for openness and a free flow of communication supports the need for the administration and the corporation to operate less secretly and incorporate students into the decision-making process; (4) the current approach of the administration and corporation send a number of negative messages to students about the administration of power; and (5) the Undergraduate Council provides students with a means of fighting for a greater role in university governance. Eighteen recommendations for changes in Harvard's governing system are proposed, involving more openness on the part of the corporation and increased student involvement in governance. Appendices include a description of university governance, edited by university officials; short profiles of members of the Harvard Corporation; the author's correspondence with the Harvard Corporation; an interview with the university treasurer and the vice president for government, community, and public affairs; and a list of the universities and colleges surveyed concerning their governing structure. (KM)