Now and then I think about leaving the frenetic thicket of the business world to pursue a career in the peaceful groves of academe, and invariably a story such as this one will come along to change my mind. Harvard University announced today that Lawrence Summers, its controversial president for the last five years, will leave is post at the end of this school year. After taking a year off, he will return to the faculty as a professor. The University's official announcement lists some of his accomplishments (he has "spurred attention to renewing the undergraduate experience, guided the launch of innovative interdisciplinary initiatives. . ., and strongly expanded Harvard's international agenda.") The University's statement hints, in polite language, at Dr. Summers's possible reason for stepping down, admitting that the past year "has been a difficult and sometimes wrenching one in the life of the University." The official statement doesn't say what made the past year "difficult" and "sometimes wrenching."
Unlike Harvard's press office, Reuters is happy to say what made the past year difficult and sometimes wrenching, and does so here. (Reuters actually says that all five years of Dr. Summers's presidency were turbulent.) Last year, for example, Dr. Summers said that the reason so few women are academic scientists may be because of innate differences between men and women. (His actual statement was widely misinterpreted by people who didn't share his knowledge of mathematical statistics.) A firestorm of criticism broke out. The faculty, in parliamentary style, took a vote of no confidence in Dr. Summers just under a year ago and was due to take a second vote of no confidence next week.
"I have sought for the last five years to prod and challenge the university to reach for the most ambitious goals in creative ways," Dr. Summers said, one of which was perhaps to push out the well-liked William Kirby, who on January 27 resigned as dean of the faculty of arts and sciences. Another was to do battle with the senior professors of the African-American Studies department several years ago, which led to many of the professors leaving for other colleges.
Harvard had a lively five years with Lawrence Summers at its helm. I predict that it will choose as its next president someone who doesn't give press conferences.