During the eighteenth century some colleges met the challenges to their purpose and survival by narrowing their focus and withdrawing their boundaries to more sectarian ground. Alternatively, it could be argued that a college could have met such challenges by broadening its focus and expanding its boundaries beyond insular denominational concerns. This latter course was the one taken by Harvard; but the choice was not easy, nor did it come quickly. This paper demonstrates Harvard's reaction to its students was as much a part of that decision process as was its reaction to the Revolution or the state constitutional convention. (Author/MJM)