Why Are These Men Laughing?

Edward Powers says he is "delighted" with the decision. Daniel Steiner couldn't be happier. And even Steve Hall calls it "a victory for me, in a sense."

Most Harvard administrators seem pretty happy with President Bok's decision this week to transfer jurisdiction over the personnel office from the administrative vice president to the general counsel. Bok also appointed Daniel D. Cantor director of personnel administration, replacing acting director Thomas O'Brien. O'Brien, too, is happy.

While the possible long-term effects of the switch (and of Cantor's arrival) are difficult to assess at this point, one thing is clear--the transfer was motivated, at least in part, by an erosion of administration confidence in Hall's ability to supervise the personnel functions.

The announced purpose of the move was, in fact, "to reflect the [increased] importance of personnel policy and management" in the University.

Bok apparently believed that the only way to acknowledge such "increased importance" was to charge the oversight of employee matters to Steiner, who already calls the shots on most important labor matters.

When Powers returned to Harvard last year, his employee relations office was placed under Steiner because of problems his predecessor, William N. Mullins, had encountered in dealing with Hall. Mullins said Hall "shot from the hip" on labor matters which instead required "reflectiveness."

So employee relations were taken away from Hall, and now, with his departure less than a month away, his successor won't have to worry about personnel administration either.

Hall calls Steiner "a very capable man, with a lot of unused capacity."

And Cantor, who brings considerable corporate experience to Harvard, may help jolt the personnel office into increased action in such areas as affirmative action and employee benefit implementation, Powers said.