<p>"...Notwithstanding its inevitability, the end of the Summers presidency marks a sad day for higher education. Despite all the talk about his abrasive personality and headstrong management style, Summers was a casualty of the left-wing ideological standards erected by Harvard's arts and sciences faculty. The historian Bernard DeVoto wrote decades ago that the Harvard he knew was "a republic within the Republic, a church that cuts across the churches, a class drawn from all classes." That ideal now seems far beyond our reach. The Harvard on display during the Summers ordeal resembles more a mad collection of petty interests pushing and pulling on one another for money, position, and advantage..."</p>
<p>is it obsession or what, Byerly</p>
<p>Why don't we just make a general Summers thread?</p>
<p>"One of the worst things about University President Lawrence H. Summers resignation is the message that it seems to signal to Harvards students, both past and present. Summers stood for many things, but most importantly he represented the interests of our students.</p>
<p>In a formal sense, he participated in the curriculum, teaching a freshman seminar and co-teaching a large lecture course. But this teaching role just begins to touch the core reasons that students supported Summers: he was passionately interested in their ideas and their experiences. He didnt listen politely and then move on to the next student in line. Instead, he argued with students about every conceivable topic, from curricular reform to the ethics of stem cell research to the war in Iraq. Summers showed up at undergraduate events, and he meaningfully talked with students. He asked tough questions and then listened to thoughtful answers. He forced students into real conversations, short on platitudes and long on substance. Occasionally the students forced him onto the dance floor.</p>
<p>These personal connections were not a public relations stunt. Summers put his budget and his administration on the line. He challenged faculty to dramatically increase the quality of a Harvard education. From the moment he arrived, Summers understood the embarrassing fact that Harvard is great because we admit great students, not because we give them a great faculty-led education. Of course, the students know this too, explaining why Harvard students rate their educational experience less positively than the students at almost all of our peer institutions. Summers led the charge to revamp the curriculum and improve the quality of undergraduate life. He wanted to hold faculty accountable for their teaching. Some faculty faulted him for playing too central a role in the curricular review, and some faculty resented being told (fairly or unfairly) that they werent living up to Summers standards. Whatever the case, most students felt that Summers had their interests at heart and was working intensely to make Harvard better for them.</p>
<p>Summers also cared about making Harvard accessible and attractive to students from all socioeconomic backgrounds. Under his leadership, the College adopted a new financial aid policy that guaranteed that parents with less than $40,000 of income will not have to pay anything to send their children to Harvard. Students from middle income families also benefited from Summers policies, though there is still much to be done on the issue of financial aid and access.</p>
<p>In his final pre-resignation week, the students perspective was clearly expressed in a Crimson poll designed in consultation with three faculty experts. Only 19 percent of surveyed undergraduates said that Summers should resign, while 57 percent said he should not. A poll of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences would have likely yielded the opposite result. The day of his resignation, students demonstrated outside of Mass. Hall to show their support for Summers.</p>
<p>Even as we lose the messenger, lets rededicate ourselves to this message: educational excellence must be a core value of Harvard. This does not mean that every professor needs to be a great teacher. But it does mean that every student should receive a great education. Summers consistently delivered that critical message. Our next President should too. "</p>
<p><summers knew="" the="" rules.="" he="" dangers="" of="" saying,="" i="" know="" best,="" to="" a="" collection="" greatest="" minds="" in="" world.="" and="" yet="" still="" dug="" his="" own="" grave.="" .=""> THE ECONOMIST, Alex Slack 06</summers></p>
<p>As Summers acknowledged, he made some mistakes. Portraying him as only a helpless victim - "a casualty" - insults him; why not accept him as he is - both the not so good, with the good.</p>
<p>Time to move on!</p>
<p>I'm afraid it won't be that easy. </p>
<p>The FAS minority has grievously wounded the University. </p>
<p>There will be little chance of recovery for years, unless the faculty move to seize control of the decision making process - turning Harvard into an employee-run cooperative, so to speak - is nipped in the bud.</p>
<p>Oh god... get a grip.
Harvard will be fine.
Give it a rest.</p>
<p>You are whistling in the dark, I'm afraid. Harvard will not be "fine" for some time, and the selfish turf-protectors are to blame.</p>
<p>I think that I should just take over as Harvard's president.</p>
<p>I promise that I will kick ass.</p>
<p>"In his final pre-resignation week, the students perspective was clearly expressed in a Crimson poll designed in consultation with three faculty experts. Only 19 percent of surveyed undergraduates said that Summers should resign, while 57 percent said he should not. A poll of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences would have likely yielded the opposite result. The day of his resignation, students demonstrated outside of Mass. Hall to show their support for Summers."</p>
<p>A gentle reminder: Students are at Harvard to get an education, not to run the institution. If students were ready to run Harvard, they wouldn't be studying there.</p>
<p>It's funny that I'm saying this since back in my college days, I was taking over buildings in protests of various things including the college prez. However, in the decades since then, I've gotten more maturity and sophistication about how the world works, and I don't look to students to figure out who is best suited to run Harvard.</p>
<p>The Crimson poll is a nice example of good college journalism, but it is worthless when it comes to figuring out who should run Harvard.</p>
<p>"Out of the mouths of babes.." Northstarmom.</p>
<p>But I guess there's a certain generation in America (and among Harvard graduates) who, when they were 20, felt they knew better than anyone else, disdaining contrary opinion. Not surprisingly, this generation still feels that way today when they are in charge of institutions (including the Harvard faculty).</p>
<p>All this discussion is great and all but it neglects on fact.</p>
<p>I should be appointed the next president of Harvard.</p>
<p>
I usually agree with your posts, but I think you're off base with this one. Yes, students are at Harvard to get an education, but the faculty and those who run the institution are there to provide an education. So far as I'm concerned, any president and any faculty member who doesn't care about what the students think shouldn't be the president or a member of the faculty.</p>
<p>There's a reason why Harvard students overwhelmingly supported Summers. Despite his faults (and yes, he does have his faults), what the students understood is that he cared about them. Truly, passionately and sincerely. He led the way in transforming the freshman seminar program - teaching one himself each year and twisting arms to get other professors into the program. It's hard to overstate how much this program - having a class with 12 students and a professor - changes the freshman academic experience. He has pushed to improve advising, to increase the number of faculty per student, and to make long overdue curricular changes that the students want now. </p>
<p>He has also focused on undergraduate social life, pushing for more common space and gathering places, and more organized social events. And he treats students with respect - listening to them, responding to them, debating ideas with them, having pizza with them, even dancing with them. </p>
<p>I do hope the next president has more political and interpersonal skills than Summers demonstrated. But he or she would also do well to exhibit the same care for students, and the same openness to their ideas, that Summers has shown for the last five years.</p>
<p>
[quote]
There will be little chance of recovery for years
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Some already express a desire to revive the council (in its statutory designation). </p>
<p>But why do you believe the impact is anything else than short-term? Because the coup d'etat will deter capable reformers or because a crisis of 'corporate governance' has become manifest?</p>
<p>You cut the quote in half.</p>
<p><<there will="" be="" little="" chance="" of="" recovery="" for="" years,="" unless="" the="" faculty="" move="" to="" seize="" control="" decision="" making="" process="" -="" turning="" harvard="" into="" an="" employee-run="" cooperative,="" so="" speak="" is="" nipped="" in="" bud.="">></there></p>
<p>
[quote]
... unless the faculty move to seize control of the decision making process is nipped in the bud
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I take it you mean FAS by "faculty". Well, the coup by a fraction of FAS has not yet changed the statute. Maybe all it takes is a clarifaction by the board and the corporation that they mean to play by the written rules (which would include the prez appoining a dean and not he faculty). But possibly the statute could use some reform as well to reflect state of the art coporate governance. There must be something in between mob rule and an all powerful president to warrant that the university thrives.</p>
<p>One effect seems to be that other faculties want their institutionalized say to prevent FAS from calling the shots all on their own (hence the interest in the council)</p>