At Harvard, the Dean's Search Derek Bok has sent around this e-mail regarding the committee searching for a new FAS dean:

From: Derek Bok
To: FAS-Voting-Faculty-list@fas.harvard.edu
Sent: Tuesday, April 11, 2006 3:21 PM
Subject: FAS Dean Search

Dear Members of the Faculty, Students, and Staff,
I am writing to share with you the names of your colleagues who have agreed to participate as members of the faculty search advisory committee in connection with the search for a new dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Members of the committee are:

David Blackbourn, History
James Engell, English and American Literature and Language
Alyssa Goodman, Astronomy
Caroline Hoxby, Economics
John Huth, Physics
James McCarthy, Organismic and Evolutionary Biology
Michael Sandel, Government
Margo Seltzer, DEAS
Elizabeth Spelke, Psychology
Richard Thomas, Classics

In addition, I will plan to meet with a group of non-tenured faculty to discuss the search, and both the Undergraduate and Graduate Student Councils are in the process of forming student committees to provide input into the search process.

I encourage you to be in touch with members of the search advisory committee to share your views on the challenges facing the FAS, the qualities we should seek in a new dean, or specific individuals who you think should be considered. In addition, you should feel free to write to me directly at fasdeansearch@harvard.edu.

With all best wishes,
Derek Bok


As the Crimson points out today, the list is heavily stocked with critics of Larry Summers. (He must be pissed.)

The point, I think, is that the list is reflective of the proportion of anti-Summers sentiment on the faculty, and Bok knows it. This was no cabal; this was the majority of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and the decanal search committee reflects that.  ¶ 9:25 AM