On the Record

“It’s going to be an active year....We’re not just holding things in place for someone else to come down.”
Derek C. Bok on Sept. 1, two months into a one-year term as interim president in which he would repeal Early Action, oversee the approval of the first overhaul of Harvard general education in a generation, and heal a faculty torn by the crises of Lawrence H. Summers’ presidency.

“I’m not the woman president of Harvard. I’m the president of Harvard.”
President-elect Drew G. Faust on Feb. 11, hours after being confirmed as the University’s first female president.

“It was the right and ethical thing to do. We also believe that in the long run, we will have a better and more diverse class.”
Dean of Admissions William R. Fitzsimmons ’67 on May 31, commenting on Harvard’s September decision to become the first highly selective college to do away with its early admissions program.

“Our students should see how the ideas, facts, and perspectives they are learning in the College come to life in real-world scenarios.”
The preliminary report of the Task Force on General Education, released in October by a committee chaired by English professor Louis Menand and philosophy professor Alison Simmons. The report, whose final version was approved by the Faculty last month, said that the Core Curriculum’s “emphasis on the disciplines may be misplaced.”

“I felt a kind of sinking feeling of stupidity but great relief.”
John W. Wronoski on Dec. 11, owner of the Square used book store Lame Duck Books, after discovering that nearly a million dollars’ worth of Jorge Luis Borges manuscripts that were presumed stolen were actually hiding in a photograph binder in the store. News of the manuscripts’ disappearance had made headlines around the world of book collecting.

“I can’t get out—the door is locked and I’m stuck. My phone also just died. I hope to see you all in a few minutes. It’s also kind of cold and my laptop is dying as well.”
Undergraduate Council Vice President Matthew L. Sundquist ’09 on Feb. 19, in a plea sent to the UC e-mail list after becoming locked in a “small hallway” in the basement of the Hilles building.

“Basically, they were trying to pick a fight....I told them I didn’t want to fight. I think what pissed them off the most was I said, ‘Look, I don’t have time for this.’”
Kevin Paik ’07 on Jan. 15, after narrowly escaping an attempted robbery in the Yard. It was the second daytime assault on an undergraduate in the Yard in three days.

“She said Professor Unger was getting complaints from several students that I disrupt the class and make learning difficult for them. And I was like, ‘What? I am one of the best students in the class. I actively participate and I bring up ideas that the professor finds intriguing and brilliant.’”
Former Extension School student Michael A. Godelia on April 9, responding to allegations that he pretended to be a current student by attending courses and comping undergraduate organizations.

“I can’t remember who I met with last night.”
Harvard Corporation Senior Fellow James R. Houghton ’58 on Feb. 5, grinning, in response to whether his presidential search committee had met with Faust—who would be named president-elect less than a week later.

“I can’t for the life of me figure out why anything in my past could cause me to be invited to an event like this.”
Summers on May 2, addressing the final lecture of Psychology 1002, “Morality and Taboo”—a course inspired by the furor that dogged his presidency. Frankfurter Professor of Law Alan M. Dershowitz, who co-taught the course with Johnstone Family Professor of Psychology Steven Pinker, responded, “Well, maybe that was the problem.”