Presidential Decision Expected Shortly

BOSTON--The Harvard presidential search committee met yesterday during what some sources say could be the final weekend before a new University president is chosen.

During the meeting, held in the Boston Harbor Hotel's Presidential Suite, the committee did not meet with any of its top candidates--University of Michigan President Lee C. Bollinger, Harvard Provost Harvey V. Fineberg '67, Princeton Professor Amy Gutmann '71 or former Treasury Secretary Lawrence H. Summers.

University of Michigan Regents have stated that a final decision is expected as early as this week.

Yesterday, several search committee members, including Hanna H. Gray and Conrad K. Harper, ate a late afternoon lunch in the hotel's Intrigue cafe, while search committee staff took the members' luggage to their rooms.

After the rest of the group arrived, members waved at reporters before retreating for an afternoon of closed-door meetings in their 16th-floor suite overlooking the harbor.

Meeting participants declined comment.

Hotel security removed reporters before the meeting ended.

The committee met in New York with Bollinger for the third time last weekend at a small Manhattan hotel. Bollinger also declined comment last weekend.

Harvard policy says the committee's choice must come with the consent of the Board of Overseers, Harvard's second-highest governing body. It is unclear at what point in the search process this consent will be given. Overseers contacted this weekend say no special meeting has been scheduled to approve a president before the regular meeting the weekend of March 23-25.

Overseers also said they have not been updated on the search since their February meeting.

According to Charles P. Slichter '45, a former member of the Corporation who ran the last search, the Overseers' consent has not always been easily given.

"There are, in history, some times when they didn't like the choice and it took some trying for the consent to be given," says Slichter. "The problem is for the Overseers to feel that they are sufficiently knowledgeable about the nominees and process to give consent."

--David H. Gellis and Catherine E. Shoichet contributed to the reporting of this story.

--Staff writer Garrett M. Graff can be reached at ggraff@fas.harvard.edu.

--Staff writer Kate L. Rakoczy can be reached at rakoczy@fas.harvard.edu.