Getting Acquainted is Summer's First Task

In a question-and-answer session that followed Summers' statement to the press, and an exclusive Crimson interview afterwards, Harvard president-designee Lawrence H. Summers carefully avoided making statements about University policy, repeating that he was not yet adequately prepared to deal with specifics at this early stage.

"At this point my priority will be on listening and consulting with members of the community," Summers said. "When the time is right, I will have the opportunity to speak in more detail about directions in which the University will go."

This sort of answer was repeated multiple times during both interviews when questions became specific.

Summers also begged off answering questions about University land purchases, town-gown relations and administrative decisions regarding the office of the provost.

Decisions regarding University land acquisitions in Watertown and Allston and their subsequent development will likely be made when the 27th president takes over July 1--especially because of hints that some of Harvard's schools may move across the river.

And although past presidents have held differing opinions about the necessity of a provost, Harvard's second highest post, the issue is likely to especially hairy for Summers. Provost Harvey V. Fineberg '67 was one of the three finalists for the presidency, and it is unclear what his plans and future at the University are.

While avoiding policy issues, Summers eagerly responded to questions about educational philosophy and his vision for the University.

"There is no substitute for direct personal interaction between a learner and a teacher. There is some room to promote that interaction," Summers said.

Summers practically glowed when speaking on the topic of globalization and its ramifications for the University.

"I don't think there is anything more important to the future of the country or the world than the way young people are educated and the way new ideas are generated," he said. "Life is becoming more complex and complicated. The degree of specialization of knowledge is increasing, the rate at which new knowledge is acquired is increasing, but at the same time the need to cut across traditional boundaries is increasing."

"Biomedical scientists need to know more about ethics, economists need to know more about politics and culture," he added.

In his interview with The Crimson, conducted in a dimly-lit parlor off the main hall of Loeb House, Summers was relaxed, joking about his press conference performance.

During the public question-and-answer session, Summers slipped up, forgetting Harvard's Allston properties when he spoke about visiting Cambridge many times in the coming months.

A reporter immediately asked him about the quote, asking why he did not intend to visit Harvard's properties in Boston.

Summers laughed off the question, quoting Fiorello LaGuardia, a former New York mayor, saying, "When I screw up, it's a whopper," adding that he meant to visit Boston as well.

In the Crimson interview, Summers then chatted with reporters about his interests, inquiring about the status of the tennis courts at Harvard. Summers is an avid tennis player and has regular faceoffs against other Washington insiders.

"You wouldn't know it by looking at me, but I'm better than I look," he said. "I'm a 4.5-5.0 if you know what that means," referring to his rating.

--Staff writer David H. Gellis can be reached at gellis@fas.harvard.edu