Ouch! You won't find this post on the President's web page either, I'll bet. Move over, Larry.
 

Yes, Richard it is slightly tacky that the Globe piece is posted on her webpage; however, you make it seem like she's included on all this positive press and left off your 02138 piece. It's only one story. The rest are Gazzette articles (exactly the kind of thing, at this point, that you'd expect to find on an executive's web page).
 

Nope, there's also the Harvard Magazine piece.

You might expect to find this on a corporate executive's webpage, yes. My point exactly.
 

This is silly, Richard. She has two non-Harvard articles posted and, yes, they are positive. But the basic form is hardly a departure from Larry's early website, available here, btw:

http://tinyurl.com/2q49sy

As you can see, there's his coverage in the Gazette and if you click on "background information," there's more, including a flattering Harvard Magazine piece.
 

I completely agree with the previous poster. This does not seem very different from Larry's early web site.
 

No, I don't think that's true at all. It's one thing to post Gazette/Pravda articles on the website; it's another to post articles from external publications. (Summers' page has no external articles.)

For one thing, as soon as you start making choices about what external articles to include and which to exclude, you are now doing more than presenting information, you are shaping and spinning it. We like this one, we're not so sure about this one—it's a much more aggressive, concerted PR maneuver.
 

Of course, if you really want to make the argument that, hey, she's just doing what Larry Summers did, then by all means, go ahead.
 

So you must not approve of Richard Levin's "President Levin in the News" section (which I'm sure is always entirely comprehensive):

http://www.yale.edu/opa/president/
 

Or Tilghman's?

http://www.princeton.edu/president/
 

I think we've seen this argument before -- about the Harvard press office and its website -- and I think you're on the losing end, RB. Cut your losses and admit you're wrong. This is all fully acceptable institutional puffery in no need of the solemn attentions of investigative journalism.
 

With all that's going on in the world, this is all we can talk about? At least give us some washed up British '80s pop band for pick of the week and tell us how profound their songs are.
 

Or The University of Arizona, University of California, Colorado State, University of Wisconsin, etc....
 

I like washed up British 80s pop bands and Richard doesn't have to admit anything, Mr Snarky.
 

I think it may be fair to say that Drew Faust's writing on university matters is not truly inspired. But what about that suggestion in one of the comments to a previous "Shots in the Dark" installment that she might end up walking to work, at least in good weather? That might be a good move on her part. An updated equivalent to Derek Bok's little VW in his previous presidency.
 

Walking or driving herself to work—excellent idea. Completely agree. Down with the limo.

University presidents flacking themselves on their webpages—bad idea, no matter where it happens. Harvard, Yale, the University of Arizona. This is part of the idea that university presidents should act with just as much crassness and self-promotion as people in corporate America, and for those of us who still hold universities to higher standards, it's a real degradation.

I'd be interested, by the way, if anyone knows whether Derek Bok permitted such flackery during the past year. I would be much surprised.

By the way, how many of you folks actually work at the Harvard News Office?
 

Also, perhaps next week I will write more about an '80s pop band. Stay (heh-heh) tuned.
 

Yeah, Mr. Snarky...I love washed up British 80's pop bands too. And I agree that Richard doesn't have to admit to anything...it's his blog and his opinion. And you know what else? If I want know all the big things that are going on in the world I'll watch CNN. That's exactly what I like about this blog...it's like getting away from it all. Sure it's a platform for Harvard types to air their views...but Richard wrote the book...why shouldn't it be? And I love the Monday morning Zen photo...

lmpaulsen
 

For lack of a good argument going on, I read the article about Drew Faust "The Revisionist". What does that mean for Harvard? And what evidence is there of that description so far? Or is it too early to tell?
 

I thought it was an interesting theory, and certainly one way to look at DGF as she goes about her work. But I was not entirely convinced of its explanatory power.
 

I learned how to be snarky from the master, RB
 

RE 80s bands:
Did you hear the guitarist of Queen just turned in his Phd in astronomy, 36 years late? Great story! Not quite sure they count as an 80s band but this would make my pick of the week. . .
 

Richard Bradley, you are a romantic and an idealist when it comes to your views of what a University should be. This is good of course, but you are probably more often disappointed with reality than not.

Imagine if a group of donors got together and set out to create a University that was based on the implicit values behind your commentaries. A place that was a true collegial community, that was about learning and scholarship, managed by faculty, more interested in knowledge than in money, power or public relations. Imagine if such a place were offered to parents and students and they decided to go there, to stick it up to the big money making machines that many modern universities have become.

Who knows, maybe some of the people with enough money to make this happen did learn from listening to John Lennon too...

In the meantime Richard Bradley I will say you are a dreamer.
 

What do you think is the symbolism of the water pump that Radcliffe presented to Harvard in the 350th?

Pumping Harvard Up...
Watering Harvard...
Pumping oneself...
Flushing the Yard out...
 

Another Associate Provost leaves... this is interesting. His comments are also very interesting:

Buffington said that he hopes to be able to change and improve things at the University of the Arts in a way that was impossible at Harvard due to its long and storied tradition.

“Because Harvard is so big, rich, and well-known, it tends to be a little more risk averse, and it’s hard to do things and complicated to make things happen,” he said.

Here's a smart, dedicated and energentic administrator saying that Harvard's wealth is an OBSTACLE to innovation and creativity... and the Corporation wants to raise MORE money??? for what?
 

A Harvard son leaving Harvard for an unknown University? this is telling, but of what?

“My aspiration for this place is that the reputation of this place and the public understanding and knowledge of this place become equal to the extraordinary people and talent that are here,” he said.

He gave the interview to the Crimson in Cambridge. Was he talking about Harvard or the University of the Arts when he expressed these hopes?

It might be helpful to President Faust to sit down with SB and ask him point blank: tell me what you know about what's going on here.
 

Maybe Sean Buffington did listen to John Lennon and is a dreamer too... see Richard Bradley, you may not be the only one.
 

Maybe he was fired, and if so it may not be such a bad thing for Harvard. Too many Associate Provosts, anyway.
 

Could be so, 9:44. There seems to be some general house-cleaning going on:

http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=519392
 

Sean is a good lad and he has handled many hot pots for Hyman. Which makes one wonder why was Hyman so non-commital in his remarks to the Globe. To say that his departure means only that they will have to hire someone else and that it will have no impact on Harvard is not what one would expect from the kind of 'relationship of trust' that Sean talks about. And to say that he could not have a leadership opportunity while at Harvard is beyond belief. Harvard can be a mean place as Hyman may in turn find out one day...

From the Crimson:

Hyman said that Buffington’s departure will not hinder University President Drew G. Faust’s initiative to examine the place of the arts at Harvard, though he added that the personnel change could lead to a revamping of the administrative structure of the university-wide arts project.

“It wasn’t a surprise that Sean was looking for a leadership opportunity that he probably couldn’t have while at Harvard,” Hyman said, “but it does mean that we’re going to have to hire someone to help.”
 

Good lad indeed. Perhaps too young for an annual package valued at $220,000. Let's reduce costs indeed. Who's next?
 

Good landing SB. Better than the life of an assistant professor of law I am sure. Nothing compared with the fun we had. Those were the days.

Don't take what people say about you now too personally. He can be funny at times as we both know. He probably knows that we helped the boss make sure that he would never be replaced by his deputy, which is now costing him. You don't destroy a persons reputation just a little.

Maybe one day you'll want to hire the son of a math teacher. I know a few things that could help a university President.

All the best. You'll do well.
 

No one seems to be picking up on the post by 9:52PM. This is the secodn time this information has been put out there, but it seems to be getting swamped by other news. Just to be explicit: it about the mastership of Quincy House. The Kirshners are stepping down and the more popular Gehrkes are staying beyond their one year as acting masters while the Kirshners were on sabbatical. As in the case with almost everyone who has left a position recently, the Kirshners' official statement makes it sound like their own decision (they were talking to the new Dean of FAS, Michael Smith, and it just somehow dawned on them that life would be much nicer if they were no longer to be house masters), and then the College publishes its own official statement, in this case over the signature of outgoing Dean Dick Gross, which praises their accomplishments.
 

Never undersestimate the ability of a former deputy chief of staff to repay you with interest.
 

Re house-cleaning in the College: here's a story not in the Crimson. Dick Gross just fired the dreadful and abusive Nancy Sommers, Expos director, but in his e-mail to the staff there there's no praising her accomplishments, just a terse announcement she's going immediately on leave and an 'interim' director will take over.
 

Did anyone hear that Drew Faust actually waters her garden with night water?
 

The Sommers firing is a disgraceful hatchet job, and I'll bet 11:17 is one of the hatchet wielders or some weak member of the Expos staff. Another good person dismissed from the College for the sin of high standards.

As for the Kirshners, think about it in the context of this story from today's New York Times:

Prosecutors Charge Five in the Death of a Student

Two Rider University officials — the dean of students and the director of campus Greek life — ... were charged yesterday in connection with the death of a freshman in March after a night of binge drinking...
 

What do you mean, 6:31? What's the connection between the Kirshners and the Rider University situation?

Personally I thought the Kirshners were wonderful and contributed greatly to Quincy House. Quincy was lucky to have them there. Admittedly the Gehrkes were even more popular, but I thought it unfortunate that some students in the House during the Gehrkes' tenure undertook such an ad hominem attack on the absent masters who had served honorably and well, were enjoying a well-deserved sabbatical, and were expected to return. Why do you suppose the Gehrkes' tolerated such a movement in their midst against the two people for whom they were recruited to be caretakers??
 

If Sean Buffington was as helpful to the President's Office as it appears that he was, it would be appropriate for the Provost's Office to post a statement indicating his departure, commending him for his many achievements and contributions and indicating that he will be missed.

Anything less will be indicative that this departure was not in good terms.
 

Aides Solomon, Kim and Buffington were key during Summers' tenure. As Harvard College graduates themselves, they were the architects of the support Summers had among undergraduates. Their work with the Crimson was a central aspect of managing that support.

http://www.thecrimson.harvard.edu/article.aspx?ref=349634
 

Buffington stands in a class of his own. Nothing to do with Solomon or Kim. Unlike them, he was not brought into Harvard's administration by Summers --he had worked for the alumni association and development when Harvey Fineberg named him Assistant Provost.

While Solomon and McNeil were some of the first aides to depart after the women in science blunder, Buffington continued and advanced even further in his career. He has a range of skills and interests spanning interdisciplinary learning, fundraising, african studies and the arts.

His departure from Harvard at this time is indeed a puzzle.
 

This move from someone with deep institutional knowledge of politics at Harvard is indicative of his expectations of what's coming in the Provost's Office. People don't normally jump ship when they expect things to get better. Particularly risk-takers.

What's half of infinity?
 

The last two posts (9.13 and 9.21) have the story right as far as they go. Buffington is the last of the veterans of the Fineberg's provost office which was much smaller but did more than the oversized bureaucracy that has now been created. Buffington was briefly made deputy chief of staff to both Summers and Hyman, but was one of the first in Mass Hall to let it be known that he disapproved of Summers. He then moved over to Holyoke, with a new assignment for culture. But some deans and a few faculty in FAS thought he was intervening beyond his authority. Hyman did not back him up. And culture languished. Let's see what happens now.
 

what on earth is night water?
 

It's important to see some departures from management as part of remaking the University. But are those departing the right people?
 

'oversized bureaucracy that has now been created'

by whom? please do tell 6.22pm: by whom?
 

...and culture languished


is there anything that flourished at Harvard during the last five years?
 

I agree: What on earth *is* night water?

But a very interesting discussion, generally....
 

"Night water" is presumably urine. "Night soil" means human excrement, which in the olden days was picked up and taken away during the night to be used for fertilizing the fields.

This column keeps shifting into summer mode, as the "night water" comment indicates. But still, the discussion about Drew Faust and the housecleaning going on at Harvard has been very interesting to follow.
 

Very interesting, Judith, I agree. I wonder if someone could sum up the main import of the discussion. I'm not insidery-enough to understand the collective implications of these departures, and what they suggest about the direction in which Harvard is moving. Anyone?