Crooks's Letter of Resignation

August 10, 1976

Dear Dean Rosovsky:

1976 is the twentieth anniversary of my involvement with the Harvard Summer School of Arts and Sciences and of Education, and my seventeenth year as Director. The experience has been profoundly satisfying and never routine: a new school each year, but with a basic continuity; the interesting decade of the sixties and the new challenge of the seventies have been fully registered on the Summer School. I have had a strong, loyal and creative staff with minimal turnover in key positions. I have enjoyed the cooperation and friendship of members of the Faculties of Arts and Sciences and of Education throughout my tenure as Director of the Summer School. Yet, twenty years is a long time and I feel that a new regime deserves an opportunity to enjoy the challenges and opportunities that have been my happy lot. Therefore, with thanks for the past and hope for the future, I should like to tender my resignation as Director of the Harvard Summer School of Arts and Sciences and of Education, effective January 1, 1977, at the earliest, and June 30, 1977, at the latest.

I would prefer the January date since I believe it would be useful for the new Director to be in charge during the spring term and be a full participant in the creation of the 1977 session. However, I will defer until June if, by the year's end, that would seem the most useful course.

Although I believe there is validity in the periodic change of leadership in key administrative posts in any organization, the other side of that point is equally valid. New leadership should be unencumbered by the kinds of attachment which naturally accrue to long term previous leadership. The Director of Continuing Education should be allowed the privilege of creating his own team uninhibited by personal loyalties he may feel for me, an old friend, or by personal loyalties I have developed over the years.

At the request of you and the President, I developed the current master plan for the evolution of Continuing Education programs in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and obviously I support the major outlines fully. I will continue to help in those endeavors in any way the Director of Continuing Education and you find useful.

This notice will give you and Mike Shinagel an opportunity to seek at once a replacement who will have from me any advice or help he or she may need or desire.

As you know, it is our mutual hope and expectation that my experience at Harvard can find useful outlet elsewhere within the University. I am confident that during the coming fall semester that new possibility to serve Harvard will emerge. I shall seek to see you dring the first half of September for further discussions. Sincerely yours   Thomas E. Crooks   Director