President Summers receives grading

<p>anybody read newsweek? I won't state my opinion on this matter, but the newsweek article is both insightful and objective unlike some of the links posted here.</p>

<p>Joe, you're welcome, but I'm not Byerly. (I doubt that Byerly would agree with the column I linked.) And while I do agree with the excerpt from the Crimson story that you quoted, I also think that quote taken out of context rather misses the point of the column. The column argues, and I agree, that unlike the far more typical case where someone's actions do not measure up to his/her rhetoric, Summers is the unusual case of someone whose rhetoric does not measure up to his actions. Here's another excerpt from the column that makes this point: "The problem is that while Summers has racked up extraordinary accomplishments in his three years as president—including investments in technology and infrastructure that will do more for Harvard’s female scientists than most of his predecessors combined—he hasn’t always matched presidential action with presidential rhetoric." </p>

<p>Alpha, I think it's fair to say that Hunter, Byerly and I all have different views on this subject, so I'm not sure why you lump us together. Unlike Byerly, I don't really have a problem with the letter from the three college presidents, and I think it was pretty stupid for Summers to make the comments he made. But I also think much of the coverage of Summers' remarks has been wildly distorted, as some of your renditions of his remarks have been. My views are pretty close to those expressed in the Crimson column, which is why I posted a link to it.</p>

<p>Great link, good story. thanks.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.thecrimson.com/today/article506185.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.thecrimson.com/today/article506185.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Of course the ultimate grading will take place in the next few days when the no confidence vote is taken. Although Mr. Summers is expected to survive, I would encourage all females to make their positions known to those voting. Let's send a loud and clear message!</p>

<p>of course Harvard is going to make sure Summers survives. Imagine the scandal and public controversy they'd face if they actually fired him.</p>

<p>Larry Summers will be president of Harvard for 20 years, and will go down as one of the greatest reformers in the history of American education. </p>

<p>He was brought in to whip the faculty into shape - including requiring them to do more teaching, and pushing those close to senility out the door despite the strictures of tenure.</p>

<p>Some of the hostile elements are resisting his reforms and trying to undermine his efforts, but they will not prevail. They understandably long for the days of Summers' bovine predecessor, who let the faculty walk all over him.</p>

<p>finally ya decided ta post byerly. ya know people were starting ta wonder if yer mensa106 ya know.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.studentsforlarry.org/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.studentsforlarry.org/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>griffin6066-I'm a little disturbed that you said you "would encourage all females to make their positions known to those voting." Assuming you truly believe Summer's comment was sexist and disparaging (something I definitely disagree with), wouldn't that be an issue for EVERYONE to disagree with, not just women? I don't like the way you're turning this into an "us versus them" issue with women vs. men. The sides on this disagreement need to be based on scientific research and results, not gender.</p>

<p>Byerly-Come on now, the online signatures of 593 undergrads (and alums) do not necessarily define the opinion of the student body.</p>

<p>(interesting statement from Marite)</p>

<p>"I don't think the faculty is using the PC issue, as you put it, to pillory Summers. Let us remember that by refusing to release the text of his NBER remarks until members of FAS pressed him repeatedly to do so, Summers allowed the press to describe their contents and thus frame the ensuing debate. It was not a case of the profs trying to shout him down: it was a case of profs asking him what he had said exactly and his refusing to tell them. </p>

<p>A better way of describing what has happened since is that for many, this was the last instalment in a continuing story of faculty dissatisfaction with Summers' management on a variety of issues. Summers' NBER comments were made only a few months after a very unsatisfactory meeting in which senior female faculty expressed concern at the declining tenure offers to women over the period of Summers' presidency. But it turned out that other profs had reasons of their own to be dissatisfied; and they began to talk to one another across disciplines and departments. </p>

<p>I think that the issue of increasing the ranks of female faculty will be easier to fix than the other issues that have surfaced. Summers made proposals, as reported by the Crimson, that, to me at least, seem excellent. But the matter of his management style is more problematic. Is it possible to get a leopard to change his spots?</p>

<p>Summers was brought in to capitalize on what Rudenstine had done. Rudenstine had spent all his years at Harvard fund-raising. Because of this, he had not been able to pay attention to educational issues ranging from faculty renewal to curricular review, to student's housing, etc... But he raised the money that made it possible for Summers to launch his financial aid initiative and he bought the Allston land that Summers is proposing to develop. As in any new venture, you need buy-in from those who will be affected and will be carrying the burden of seeing it through. Summers was chosen by the Harvard Corporation because he was different from Rudenstine, but not in order to antagonize the faculty or divide it. Unfortunately, that is what has happened."</p>

<p>Summer's is president of HARVARD, and i mean "THE" HARVARD in cambridge. No one's gonna fire him. The majority of the staff will def vote in favor of him remainin in office and staying open for business.........</p>

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<p>I don't think Marite is too torn up about it. She is sending her son to Harvard this fall.</p>

<p>Seth, With reports like the following, how do you come to the conclusion that Summers will receive the support necessary to run the "corporation"?</p>

<p><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2005/EDUCATION/03/16/harvard.summers.ap/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.cnn.com/2005/EDUCATION/03/16/harvard.summers.ap/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Terrintl, i have read other articles on this matter, and the conclusion i have drawn from all the various, and very much respected newspapers and magazines such as newsweek, is that the complaints about Summer's management style come from the Arts and science(no surprise here) faculties. The rest of the departments wish to spare the poor guy. Cunno, just something i've observed. Yer welcome to prove otherwise, i'll be happy ta hear it...</p>

<p>Coureur:</p>

<p>You're right. I'm not too torn up about it. Presidents don't do the bulk of the teaching (well, Summers teaches one course on globalization that's quite popular, but it's only one course among hundreds). Members of the faculty do. And no matter how members of FAS--who teach undergraduates-- feel about this controversy, they take their teaching responsibilities quite seriously. At any rate, the effects of policy decisions will not be felt by students for many years, if at all. Even the delayed curricular review was not likely to take effect for a while.</p>

<p>On a different note, I find interesting that Terrintl found my comments about the controversy worth reproducing here, but dismissed my comments about the difference between the neighborhoods of MIT and Harvard and told me I needed to go out more. Methinks that in the cause of Harvard-bashing, any weapon comes in handy.</p>

<p>This thread has run its course.</p>