<p>From <a href="http://thecrimson.com/%5B/url%5D">http://thecrimson.com/</a> :</p>
<p>University officials have confirmed to The Crimson: Derek Bok has been named the interim president of Harvard effective July 1. Lawrence H. Summers will resign at the end of the academic year. Corporation fellows have pledged to promptly begin a search for a new long-term leader.</p>
<p>and reform is dead in the water...........</p>
<p>Reform is NOT dead in the water...
It will just need to be undertaken by a president with better leadership skills.</p>
<p>undertaken or implemented?</p>
<p>The proposed "reforms" include quite a number of separate elements. I don't think Summers' departure will have much impact on some of them. For example, the proposals on enhancing undergraduate advising are already being implemented. The proposal to permit undergrads to have a "secondary field" in addition to their primary concentration enjoys wide support and will likely be officially approved soon. The transition from the Core to a more general set of distribution requirements will be phased in over a number of years (with students having a choice as to which set of requirements they follow during the transition period). The availability of international programs has already increased and will continue to do so.</p>
<p>Other elements, particularly the proposed changes in the undergrad calendar, have gotten bogged down and will probably need to await a new president to push for them (if the new president wants to do so).</p>
<p>Bok is well into his 70's and is pretty clearly serving a "caretaker" role until a successor is named. But I do think some of the reforms on the table will continue to make progress anyway.</p>