How 'bout a "Bradley Burger" then?
 

Or maybe "The Crimson Burger" which just happens to boast the same exact toppings as a previously existing burger?
 

Lattimore's article is well written and she makes a good point.

She misses the obvious, though, and that is that Harvard now DOES have a President. A President who does not call much attention to himself, who is collegial and who has managed to get this University to get back to its business much more smoothly than anyone anticipated. And who is doing all of this for free! An no one is comparing Derek Bok to Summers, for there is no comparison possible. Instead people are just grateful that the Corporation was able to find someone so skilled at leading this University and whose example has begun the process of restoring essential Harvard's values into the culture of the institution.

If the Corporation could do this once, perhaps they can strike a similarly good hit the next time. Or recognize that asking Derek to stay on is better than been forced to make a poor choice...
 

Lattimore's article is well written and she makes a good point.

She misses the obvious, though, and that is that Harvard now DOES have a President. A President who does not call much attention to himself, who is collegial and who has managed to get this University to get back to its business much more smoothly than anyone anticipated. And who is doing all of this for free! An no one is comparing Derek Bok to Summers, for there is no comparison possible. Instead people are just grateful that the Corporation was able to find someone so skilled at leading this University and whose example has begun the process of restoring essential Harvard's values into the culture of the institution.

If the Corporation could do this once, perhaps they can strike a similarly good hit the next time. Or recognize that asking Derek to stay on is better than been forced to make a poor choice...
 

How about a Bok Return Burger?
 

Encore Bok would be more a propos.
 

And perhaps the Provost deserves some of the credit for getting back to business?
 

Yes, perhaps he does.
 

Oh, goodness, the previous anonymous posters must be members of the vaunted Faculty of Arts and Sciences. I'll at least identify my affiliation (and no more--it is exams period, after all): I'm a current Harvard undergraduate. From what I understand (and I'm by no means an insider--this is all common knowledge; the classic "Bok impression" around the dining halls is just somebody feigning sleep and snoring), Bok takes extended vacations, refuses to work more than 8 hours per day, and is just "there" instead of actually exercising any leadership. I don't mean to criticize him: that's fine for an interim president, and good for a man who should be enjoying retirement to render this service to a university in need. I have all the respect in the world for him, but to suggest that he should *stay???* Do you want him running the university from a nursing home in five years? Exactly what "progress" are you talking about? Are you people insane?!

But really, should it come as any surprise to us that these professors are clamoring for Bok to stay? Bok never criticizes them for not teaching. Bok never criticizes them for making no progress on the curricular review after four years. Bok lets them maintain the status quo. And that's not good enough--it wasn't for Larry, and it isn't now.

Shame on all of you. And I hope you all enjoyed the major-league smackdown that the Crimson delivered you today in its editorial. The Crimson gets a whole lot of stuff wrong, but when it comes to faculty sloth and lack of progress, it gets it exactly right--and almost all undergraduates are in agreement on this point.

How was that faculty meeting, professors? Oh, wait, sorry. How IS vacation? Lots of undergrads right now could use some extra study sessions with you to prepare for exams, but, well, I guess that's asking too much of you... hooray for Bok!
 

The previous comment reads as if penned by onne of the contendors for the Presidency. Someone who would be very disappointed to be passed up. Not the work of Harvard undergrads.

It sounds as if these are tense times for some people...

Long live Bok and long live Harvard. And let the little minions who would like to be President realize that the shoe does not fit them...
 

Anon 5.06 above:

Thanks for letting us know that Bok works only 8 hours a day and takes extended vacation. It makes it more admirable to realize that he can do what Summers-Hyman were unable to do in 5 years of much hyperactivity without direction.

Goes to show that a little wisdom, knowledge and integrity yields much more than all the politics and games of the past five years.

Five more years for Bok!
 

5:06 again:

Nope, I'm a Harvard undergrad. Hilarious that you would think otherwise (at least, my roommates and I think so), and even more hilarious that you'd think I was a contender for the presidency. I'd rather flip burgers after graduation than preside over this faculty.

6:15... *what,* exactly, has Bok actually done? Seriously. Please name me one area of tangible progress. Please. No, making faculty members feel good does not count. How about progress in the curricular review? Progress in improving teaching? Changing our god-awful calendar? Making sure we're not invested in Petrochina? Seriously, what has Bok *done?* Because it really sounds like you expressly like the fact that he's done nothing. And that probably means you're a professor; why can't you just admit that? I've disclosed my affiliation...
 

5:06 again... one last thing: Richard, I really don't know why you didn't mention today's Crimson faculty-bashing editorial and mentioned Lattimore's column instead--everybody was talking about the editorial today (and for the crimson, whose editorials are usually worthless, that's saying something). I'll do it for you: http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=516590

That's all. Professors, I hope you're enjoying your vacations. Like I said, it would be really nice if more of you had office hours during reading period, but you can't be bothered, right?
 

The main thing Bok has done is to get the people in this University to focus on scholarly pursuits. And to restore the dignity and honor of the office of the President.

If you want to learn more about what has been going on around here for the last five years read the archives of the New York Times or the Boston Globe under Harvard, the book Harvard Rules and the archives of this blog. Too much conduct unbecoming of a University President.
 

Nice try 5.06, your IP address gives you away. You are no undergrad.

May the thought of five more years of Bok keep you await the next few weeks. He truly would be great. Remember that you read it here first when it is announced.
 

Tell me my IP address (not 5:06)...
 

I find 5:06's complaints unsupported, at least in my department. Today, most of the faculty of my department was in, talking to students. Is there evidence this poster would like to share, say, about being put off from conversations with faculty (that are supposed to be the point of having Reading Period)?

There may well be some bad behavior here. I have not seen the Dean of FAS emphasizing the importance of faculty presence during Reading Period, in recent years. But I hope that the tradition has not eroded too much, even without urgings from the administration.

Data might be useful in this regard. (Even anecdotal data, but let's be careful with this.)
 

"The main thing Bok has done is to get the people in this University to focus on scholarly pursuits. And to restore the dignity and honor of the office of the President."
Yeah, that's a lot. Because professors have to be told to go study and Presidents who do nothing are very honorable.
More evidence of collective FAS uselessness:
1. It took literally years to push minors through. This could have taken weeks.
2. At the beginning of the year, if I'm not mistaken, the FAS voted to leave the current calender - with classes starting in mid-September and exams after New Year's - intact. I will eat a post-it note for every undergraduate who likes this schedule.
~ Another Undergrad.
(Check my IP address, I am writing from a laptop in Kirkland House, not a building where faculty work, or, say The Harvard Crimson)
 

The attack of the z-listers. These poor children of privilege who get anxious during exam period.

Good luck with your studies and try to make something worthwhile of yourself given all you have received in life.
 

Whoever wrote the last post should be embarrassed. Z-list faculty, if that's what it is. No self-respecting teacher would respond to legitimate, specific undergraduate criticism with such witless condescension. Anyone here remember the Muppet Show? Those old birds Statler and Waldorf heckling from their box? That's what a lot of these posts read like.
 

Excellent and appropriate Muppet Show analogy. Well done.
 

The Muppet Show? Whoever wrote that comment is at least 40 years old.

Goes to show that this blog excites people of all ages. Who knows perhaps even some of the Presidential contenders.