Donors Lament the End of Summers Era

Donors and alumni expressed regret yesterday at University President Lawrence H. Summers’ announcement of resignation, lauding the progress they say he achieved during his term and expressing confidence in the University’s future—and its future fundraising efforts.

“President Summers has certainly been a figure who has commanded great respect,” said Yuki A. Moore Laurenti ’79, president of the Harvard Alumni Association. “There have been many wonderful things that he has done and accomplished. I have confidence that the governing bodies will find a successor with Larry’s drive, intellectual vision, and political sensibility.”

The former president of the Board of Overseers, Clemmie D. Spangler Jr., said that he was sorry to see Summers go.

“I’m sorry that things have not worked out for President Summers and I hope that the forces at Harvard come together and will be productive in their main efforts, which are teaching and research in the future,” he said.

Spangler added that he felt Summers’ immediate successor, former University president Derek C. Bok, would steer the University well in the interim.

“Bok is the absolute perfect pick—he has the experience of running Harvard,” Spangler said. “He is a calm, considerate person.”

Sidney R. Knafel ’52, whose gift of $15 million financed the new Center for Government and International Studies, expressed remorse over Summers’ departure.

“I’m sad for Harvard, and I’m sad for Larry. I think they’re both going to come through brilliantly,” said Knafel, who is also a Crimson editor. “I think that [Summers’] initiatives will not die. I hope they continue in a good direction. I hope that what they offer to scholarship will be recognized by the faculty at large.”

Knafel said he had full confidence that Summers would rebound from the experience.

“I certainly hope that Larry has a brilliant future ahead of him,” he said. “He certainly has the capacity to do extraordinary things.”

John I. Hook ’69 said that the University would continue moving forward regardless of Summers’ resignation.

“The direction of the University has always been the same—towards excellence—and it’s impossible for anybody to change that, for the better or the worse,” he said. “It has a momentum of its own.”

Hook said he was not surprised by Summers’ resignation.

“I think he’s a very talented person but maybe not perfect in that position,” he said.

But Paul J. Zofnass ’69 said the announcement took him completely by surprise.

“I’m terribly disappointed that he’s resigning,” he said. “I think he’s done a fantastic job.”

The University may need a president who is “a mender more than a go-getter,” Zofnass added.

Laurenti, the Alumni Association president, said alumni have as much of a stake in the selection of a permanent replacement for Summers as faculty and students.

And Knafel, among other alumni, said yesterday that the president’s resignation will not slow down the rate of University fundraising.

“I think people will continue to give financial support,” Knafel said. “This is a time to show the University, and to show the rest of the constituency, that people are in support.”

—Nicholas M. Ciarelli contributed to the reporting of this story.
—Kathleen Pond contributed to the reporting of this story.
—Staff writer Cyrus M. Mossavar-Rahmani can be reached at crahmani@fas.harvard.edu.