Summers Calls Faculty "Whiny"Last week's New York Observer contained its annual write-up of the White House Correspondents Dinners after-party, thrown by Bloomberg media (not the mayor) across the street from the Washington Hilton.
Reporter Rebecca Dana encountered Harvard president Larry Summers late in the evening. Her portrayal of that encounter is so remarkable, I'm just going to quote the relevant paragraph here:
<<In the middle of the dance floor, embattled Harvard president Lawrence Summers stood by himself. Asked about his display of party stamina, Mr. Summers declared, "I’m a hip guy." He had endured financial troubles and family conundrums, he noted—"I’ve been through some real shit in my life"—and he could survive a bunch of "whiny" professors.>>
I was stunned to read this description, which seemed so improbable—would Summers really refer to the faculty as "whiny"?—that I called Dana to confirm the quotes. She did confirm them, and I believe her. She sounded like an entirely careful, cautious and thorough reporter.
I'm amazed that Summers could make a remark this impolitic after just having endured the worst professional crisis of his life for making impolitic remarks.
On second thought, I'm not really so amazed. This is probably how Summers honestly feels about the faculty (when he's not making apologies that he apparently doesn't believe). "Whiny" connotates obnoxious, immature, spoiled, juvenile, and un-serious. And Summers' leadership style would reinforce the idea that that's what he thinks of the Harvard professoriat—or at least those who voted that they lack confidence in him.
I tried to contact Summers' spokesman, John Longbrake, to see if he would confirm, deny or otherwise comment upon these remarks. But there is no listing in the Harvard directory or on the Harvard website for Longbrake. (Does he work at Harvard?)
Mr. Longbrake, if you're reading this...Click the "contact" button on the webpage to e-mail me. I'd be glad to run any response.
Bloomberg owns the company but has no current involvement with it, for obvious reasons.
As for post #2...even if the word's accurate—and I imagine that sometimes it is—I'm not sure it's strategically wise for the president of the university to say so.
