…has two relevant pieces.

This one reports on the new motion by physics professor Daniel Fisher calling upon the Corporation to act.

“This Faculty respectfully adjures the Governing Boards, especially the Corporation, to re-establish in collaboration with the Faculty effective governance and leadership of Harvard University,” the motion reads.

It’s a smart move by Fisher. He’s taking advantage of the Corporation’s love affair with secrecy. Now it’s not just the faculty and the president who are involved in this fight, it’s the Corporation—and the more the Corporation is mentioned in press accounts of this ugly controversy, the less they’re going to like it, and the more they’re going to want to distance themselves from the man who has always been the igniter of controversy.

The Crimson quotes Peter Gomes as saying that the Corporation will invariably try to keep any of its actions double-secret. (Like probation!)

“Peter J. Gomes, the Plummer professor of Christian morals and an expert on Harvard’s history, said Summers’ firing, if it happened, would be a ‘very hush-hush sort of thing. No one wants it said that the Corporation ever fired a president of the University.'”

Well…I do. Because why shouldn’t a governing board of a $30 billion, tax-free, non-profit organization publicly explain itself?

The Crimson’s second piece today looks at how, unlike last spring, President Summers can’t simply apologize and throw money at his current troubles….

What could he say? “Sorry, Bill. But someone had to take the fall.”

Instead, Summers sticks to a quote about Kirby’s firing that, in my opinion, is killing him: “This was his decision.”

Every time that quote is repeated, it reminds the faculty how their president dissembles. A decision to resign when the alternative is to be fired is not exactly free will.