<p>Okay, Im breaking my self-imposed rule about not posting anywhere but on the Princeton board. However, as a Harvard Law graduate, I continue to be interested in my other alma mater and was surprised that no one had posted a link to this interview. Im no fan of Larry Summers but I found him to be eloquent and forceful here and I can see the qualities that Byerly admires. It will be interesting to see who follows him.</p>
<p>It's upsetting to me that he won't be there for us 2010ers (unless one plans on enrolling in a few of his econ courses).</p>
<p>Don't count on it--Not only is he taking a one-year sabbatical, there are rumors that he's ditching the 02138 completely for more lucrative times at Goldman Sachs.</p>
<p>Or Citigroup (with our friend's dad)!</p>
<p>"AP: You've said Harvard is the world's greatest research university, but is not yet recognized for providing the world's best undergraduate education. Why not?"</p>
<p>"Summers: I think the single most important issue is faculty-student engagement, where there is too large a fraction of our teaching that takes place in sections taught by graduate students. Too much of it takes place in large lectures, where faculty members don't know students' names. And too little of it involves the kind of active learning experience, whether it's in a laboratory, a debate in a class, or whether it's a seminar dialogue, or whether it's joint work in an archives."</p>
<p>I've always felt Harvard got a bum rap on the issue of faculty contact/accessibility and am a bit surprised to see Summers identifying it as Harvard's #1 undergraduate education problem.</p>