What Happens Next?
Let's be honest: no one has a clue. We're talking about an event unprecedented in Harvard's 370-year history. There's no road map to the future.
But if you asked me to guess...there are really only three scenarios.
1) Summers hunkers down and quietly rebuilds his presidency. Over the years, from the ashes of defeat he reemerges wiser, stronger, a more judicious leader, and becomes one of Harvard's greatest presidents.
2) Summers resigns before Commencement in June.
3) In a year or so, once the dust settles, Summers resigns in a way that allows him to claim some measure of success as a "change agent."
Of those options, I'd say number three is the likeliest. The antipathy against Summers is too deep for him to erase it, even if he did change his style fundamentally, and that's hard to imagine. How do you go from being one way your entire life to a completely different style and personality?
As for number 2...I don't think Summers will resign this school year, if only because the Corporation wouldn't want him to. After all, they chose him, and they're defending him. If he goes anytime soon, it makes them look silly. And they already look dumb for choosing him.
I know—that's a strong thing to say. But is there any doubt at this point that the Corporation made a mistake? Regardless of whether you support or oppose Summers, this episode is disastrous for Harvard. Summers is the epicenter of this storm, and the Corporation chose Summers. You can't argue with results: He was the wrong pick. But I doubt they'll ever admit that.
