Rudenstine's 'Honeymoon' Ends in Chaos

More than two years ago, President Neil L. Rudenstine took office and quickly tried to portray himself as a pleasant man with a steady hand and a decisive plan.

He was going to move quickly to change the University's administrative structure and smooth over rough spots. He was going to be accessible, answering letters promptly and speaking expansively about Harvard's role in the world.

But this year, the University got a glimpse of a very different Rudenstine. This version was prickly, secretive and, at times, maddeningly ineffectual.

This Rudenstine was shaken by several disappointments. With a few choice words about the decline of the Business School, dean John H. McArthur successfully upstaged the unveiling of Rudenstine's treasured academic planning report. The president himself had labored for months over the manuscript.

Worse still, the man who promised to bring together the University's decentralized departments seemed unable to control his kitchen cabinet of advisers and vice presidents in Massachusetts Hall.

The cruelest blow was the sudden departure of Provost Jerry R. Green in mid-April. Green had been the president's hand-chosen pick for a post that Rudenstine himself created. News reports suggested that Green, who was charged with fulfilling the Rudenstinian vision of bringing the schools together, had grown tired of the slow, cautious management style of his boss.

In addition, the president labored for months to fill two of the University's five vice-presidencies. After an interminable 18-month search, Rudenstine finally settled on a new vice president for government, community and public affairs. But the job in finance, as of press time, remained open--nine months after Robert H. Scott announced he would vacate it.

And if the chaos in Massachusetts Hall was bad, its timing was worse.

Green's resignation came less than a month before the official kick-off of a $2.1 billion capital campaign, the largest in the history of higher education and a fund drive that is vital to the University's future.

Asked about the disarray in his central administration ,at a press conference to announce the campaignlast month, Rudenstine looked battle-worn. Heresponded testily, and incorrectly, that Green hadoffered an explanation for his departure. (Theprovost wrote The Crimson the next week to makeperfectly clear that he had said nothing toclarify the matter).

As the academic year closed, signs that thepresident was backing off his initial commitmentto integration of Harvard's administration beganto appear.

Some observers scratched their heads at a fewsentences that appeared in the May 13 issue of theHarvard Gazette, the administration's mouthpiece,in a section entitled "Questions and Answers Aboutthe University Campaign."

"Harvard's decentralized character is one ofits great strengths, promoting independence,entrepreneurship and accountability," the articlesaid. "This basic approach has served Harvard wellin the past, and will continue to do so in thefuture."

For a president who once called Harvard'sschools "fiendishly decentralized," Rudenstine'sallowing that statement into the Gazette may havebeen nothing more than an oversight.

Or it could have been the preamble to anabdication.

Silence

Two of the three posts which remained open asthe campaign kicked off were held byofficials--Scott and Green--who had been expectedto play key roles in the fund drive.

But rather than be forthright about problems inthe search, Rudenstine and other Universityofficials remained conspicuously silent.Massachusetts Hall became consistent only in itsdenials. When a secretary let slip that Scott hadtaken a new job and was coming in only formessages and the occasional meeting, Harvardinsisted there was nothing wrong with having apart-time vice president for finance.

The director of budgets, Elizabeth C. "Beppie"Huidekoper, was quietly appointed acting vicepresident less than a week after The Crimson ran astory about the siltation.

And when Green left his post to return to theeconomics department, Harvard's reaction borderedon the bizarre. The 20-paragraph announcement didnot actually mention Green's departure until thefinal sentence.

Officials failed to inform members of the Boardof Overseers of the change before they told thepress about it. And Benjamin M. Friedman, chair ofthe economic department, first learned that Green,who is Wells professor of political economy, wouldbe returning to his department when a reportercalled him.

The departure threatened to hurt the campaigneffort. Green has continued to make fundraisingtrips around the country, including one to Texas,much to the chagrin of members of the Harvard Clubof Dallas.

"We don't have many Harvard guys come down. Thebig dogs only come down for the big occasions,"Dallas club member Peter p. Smith '78 said beforeGreen left for Texas. "If the representative theysend is leaving, I don't think that leaves a verygood taste in our mouths."

"I think it's a problem," Smith added. "I don'tthink he should make the trip."

Smith said he was troubled by the unexplainednature of Green's departure. And nearly two monthsafter it happened, Harvard has given no officialreason for the provost's move.

For his part, Rudenstine has sought to suggestthat Green's departure was prompted by theprovost's desire to assume the new John Leverettprofessorship, a position designed to encourageinter-Faculty teaching and cooperation. But no oneever really believed the president. AroundHarvard, a Leverett professorship was not unlike aflying pig; no one had ever heard of such a thing.

With Boston Globe columnist David L. Warsh '66openly speculating about the turmoil at Harvardthe University attempted to acknowledge the publicrelations disaster and move on to other subjects.

In late April, Acting Vice President forGovernment, Community and Public Affairs Jane H.Corlette said Harvard may have mishandled theannouncement of Green's departure. But she neveroffered the answer desired by administrators,professors and even one inquisitive member of theClass of 1998, who posed the question toRudenstine during pre-frosh weekend: why had Greengone?

"I think it was obviously a matter ofspeculation," Corlette said. "But I think part ofit was our own damn fault for the way we tried toget the information out as fast as possible."

Rudenstine also to make amends for his secrecy.He wrote to members of the Board of Overseers toexplain why they were not told of the impendingdeparture before the public announcement,according to Overseer Charlotte P. Armstrong '49.The letter said the overseers were not informedbecause "the details were still being ironed out,"Armstrong said.

Although overseers said they learned of thechange from reporters or by word-of-mouth,Corlette insisted that the announcement had beenmade to all University affiliates at the sametime.

"Frankly, [We] forgot that overseers don'talways look at their faxes as soon as theyshould," Corlette said. "It made it look like sucha surprise."

Evasions

Green and Rudenstine have gone to great lengthsto avoid discussing the topic Both canceledinterviews and cut off contact with the pressafter the botched announcement of the provost'sdeparture.

When Rudenstine spoke-and gaffed-in explainingthe provost's departure at the May 12 capitalcampaign press conference, Green took the awkwardposition of breaking his silence to maintain hissilence. Green's May 18 letter to The Crimsonsubtly suggested that he was staying silentbecause the truth could be damaging to Harvard.

"I will be guided by the principle that anystatements I may make should be consistent withthe University's best interest," Green wrote.

The provost granted a short interview to TheChronicle of Higher Education, offering only thatit was "not a bad time" to leave the job becauseplanning for the capital campaign had beencompleted.

Several officials have confirmed that Green'sdeparture fell between the planning and initiationstates of the campaign.

A Larger Mystery

More mysterious than the reason for theprovost's departure may be the nature of the jobitself. Throughout Green's two-year tenure, theposition and its responsibilities have seemedilldefined .

Green is the University's first provost sinceWorld War II. Rudenstine created the position aspart of his effort to foster unity within theUniversity when he became president in 1991.

Last month, McArthur, the Business School dean,said Green's departure was indicative of a largerproblem with the conception of the post.

"People have had unfairly unrealisticexpectations of what Jerry or you or I can do,"McArthur said. "It isn't just a one-personproblem."

Instead, in a surprising statement from anadministrator who has been seen as the principalopponent of greater integration among Harvard'sschools, McArthur said the provost'sresponsibilities should be handled by more thanone individual.

"We need several provosts probably or in anycase several people who concern themselves withhow the educational teaching might be evolved"McArthur said. "It needs more energy put into it."

Rudenstine has not yet heeded that advice. Lastmonth, he replaced Green with just one man, Deanof the Kennedy School Albert Carnesale.

As dean, Carnesale was known for his role inlinking Kennedy School programs to the rest of theUniversity. And unlike Green. who had never heldan administrative post higher than chair of theeconomics department, Carnesale had a reputationas a savvy administrator.

Carnesale, who was reported to have Green's jobunofficially in hand within 24 hours of theannouncement of the provost's departure, wastapped quickly. So quickly in fact that speed ofthe provost search served to discredit further thesluggish attempts to fill the two vicepresidencies.

The search for a vice president for finance isnow in its tenth month. For now, the University isrunning the capital campaign without a permanentfinancial officer.

Corlette served in an acting role after VicePresident for Government, Community and PublicAffairs John H. Shattuck left for a job in theState Department early in 1993.

The length of this search combined withperiodic false alarms of a replacement, stronglysuggested that Harvard had been turned down by itstop choices. But on May 20, Rudenstine named JamesH. Rowe '73, a Washington- based vice presidentfor NBC, to the pst, effective July 1.

"I think we're looking forward to havingsomebody finally at the helm and getting on withit," Corlette said.

While she gushed about the importance of theRowe appointment after it was made, Corlette haddownplayed the significant of the empty jobs inMassachusetts Hall for months.

In one memorable attempt to de emphasize thevacancies, Corlette compared the situation inMasachusetts Hall to the constant turmoil andturnover in leadership during some periods inFrench history. There was no need to worry aboutchanges at the top because Harvard, like France,has strong middle-level bureaucrats running theUniversity from below.

"I don't think of its as a void," Corlettesaid," because there's such a huge staffunderneath."

Using substantially less metaphor, Rudenstinealso said the number of vacancies paled incomparison to the nine administrative appointmentshe confronted after he took the job in 1991.

"When there are two gaps out of something like38 at an institution of this size it may look likelarge gaps, and certainly there are gaps and Iwill fill them, " the president said.

But the biggest gap facing Rudenstine may bethe growing distance between his initial vision ofa harmonious, integrated University and theadministrative disarray that surrounds him in thepresent.Crimson photo illustration from Crimson filephotos/SoRelle B. B Braun and Eugene Y. ChangTOO MANY BALLS IN THE AIR: President NEIL L.RUDENSTINE and, from left, outgoing Provost JERRYGREEN; his successor, Dean of the Kennedy SchoolALBERT CARNESALE, former Vice President forGovernment, Community and Public Affairs JOHN H.SHATTUCK; his sucessor, acting vice president JANEH. CORLETTE, her successor JAMES ROWE '73; formerVice President for Finance ROBERT H. SCOTT.

As the academic year closed, signs that thepresident was backing off his initial commitmentto integration of Harvard's administration beganto appear.

Some observers scratched their heads at a fewsentences that appeared in the May 13 issue of theHarvard Gazette, the administration's mouthpiece,in a section entitled "Questions and Answers Aboutthe University Campaign."

"Harvard's decentralized character is one ofits great strengths, promoting independence,entrepreneurship and accountability," the articlesaid. "This basic approach has served Harvard wellin the past, and will continue to do so in thefuture."

For a president who once called Harvard'sschools "fiendishly decentralized," Rudenstine'sallowing that statement into the Gazette may havebeen nothing more than an oversight.

Or it could have been the preamble to anabdication.

Silence

Two of the three posts which remained open asthe campaign kicked off were held byofficials--Scott and Green--who had been expectedto play key roles in the fund drive.

But rather than be forthright about problems inthe search, Rudenstine and other Universityofficials remained conspicuously silent.Massachusetts Hall became consistent only in itsdenials. When a secretary let slip that Scott hadtaken a new job and was coming in only formessages and the occasional meeting, Harvardinsisted there was nothing wrong with having apart-time vice president for finance.

The director of budgets, Elizabeth C. "Beppie"Huidekoper, was quietly appointed acting vicepresident less than a week after The Crimson ran astory about the siltation.

And when Green left his post to return to theeconomics department, Harvard's reaction borderedon the bizarre. The 20-paragraph announcement didnot actually mention Green's departure until thefinal sentence.

Officials failed to inform members of the Boardof Overseers of the change before they told thepress about it. And Benjamin M. Friedman, chair ofthe economic department, first learned that Green,who is Wells professor of political economy, wouldbe returning to his department when a reportercalled him.

The departure threatened to hurt the campaigneffort. Green has continued to make fundraisingtrips around the country, including one to Texas,much to the chagrin of members of the Harvard Clubof Dallas.

"We don't have many Harvard guys come down. Thebig dogs only come down for the big occasions,"Dallas club member Peter p. Smith '78 said beforeGreen left for Texas. "If the representative theysend is leaving, I don't think that leaves a verygood taste in our mouths."

"I think it's a problem," Smith added. "I don'tthink he should make the trip."

Smith said he was troubled by the unexplainednature of Green's departure. And nearly two monthsafter it happened, Harvard has given no officialreason for the provost's move.

For his part, Rudenstine has sought to suggestthat Green's departure was prompted by theprovost's desire to assume the new John Leverettprofessorship, a position designed to encourageinter-Faculty teaching and cooperation. But no oneever really believed the president. AroundHarvard, a Leverett professorship was not unlike aflying pig; no one had ever heard of such a thing.

With Boston Globe columnist David L. Warsh '66openly speculating about the turmoil at Harvardthe University attempted to acknowledge the publicrelations disaster and move on to other subjects.

In late April, Acting Vice President forGovernment, Community and Public Affairs Jane H.Corlette said Harvard may have mishandled theannouncement of Green's departure. But she neveroffered the answer desired by administrators,professors and even one inquisitive member of theClass of 1998, who posed the question toRudenstine during pre-frosh weekend: why had Greengone?

"I think it was obviously a matter ofspeculation," Corlette said. "But I think part ofit was our own damn fault for the way we tried toget the information out as fast as possible."

Rudenstine also to make amends for his secrecy.He wrote to members of the Board of Overseers toexplain why they were not told of the impendingdeparture before the public announcement,according to Overseer Charlotte P. Armstrong '49.The letter said the overseers were not informedbecause "the details were still being ironed out,"Armstrong said.

Although overseers said they learned of thechange from reporters or by word-of-mouth,Corlette insisted that the announcement had beenmade to all University affiliates at the sametime.

"Frankly, [We] forgot that overseers don'talways look at their faxes as soon as theyshould," Corlette said. "It made it look like sucha surprise."

Evasions

Green and Rudenstine have gone to great lengthsto avoid discussing the topic Both canceledinterviews and cut off contact with the pressafter the botched announcement of the provost'sdeparture.

When Rudenstine spoke-and gaffed-in explainingthe provost's departure at the May 12 capitalcampaign press conference, Green took the awkwardposition of breaking his silence to maintain hissilence. Green's May 18 letter to The Crimsonsubtly suggested that he was staying silentbecause the truth could be damaging to Harvard.

"I will be guided by the principle that anystatements I may make should be consistent withthe University's best interest," Green wrote.

The provost granted a short interview to TheChronicle of Higher Education, offering only thatit was "not a bad time" to leave the job becauseplanning for the capital campaign had beencompleted.

Several officials have confirmed that Green'sdeparture fell between the planning and initiationstates of the campaign.

A Larger Mystery

More mysterious than the reason for theprovost's departure may be the nature of the jobitself. Throughout Green's two-year tenure, theposition and its responsibilities have seemedilldefined .

Green is the University's first provost sinceWorld War II. Rudenstine created the position aspart of his effort to foster unity within theUniversity when he became president in 1991.

Last month, McArthur, the Business School dean,said Green's departure was indicative of a largerproblem with the conception of the post.

"People have had unfairly unrealisticexpectations of what Jerry or you or I can do,"McArthur said. "It isn't just a one-personproblem."

Instead, in a surprising statement from anadministrator who has been seen as the principalopponent of greater integration among Harvard'sschools, McArthur said the provost'sresponsibilities should be handled by more thanone individual.

"We need several provosts probably or in anycase several people who concern themselves withhow the educational teaching might be evolved"McArthur said. "It needs more energy put into it."

Rudenstine has not yet heeded that advice. Lastmonth, he replaced Green with just one man, Deanof the Kennedy School Albert Carnesale.

As dean, Carnesale was known for his role inlinking Kennedy School programs to the rest of theUniversity. And unlike Green. who had never heldan administrative post higher than chair of theeconomics department, Carnesale had a reputationas a savvy administrator.

Carnesale, who was reported to have Green's jobunofficially in hand within 24 hours of theannouncement of the provost's departure, wastapped quickly. So quickly in fact that speed ofthe provost search served to discredit further thesluggish attempts to fill the two vicepresidencies.

The search for a vice president for finance isnow in its tenth month. For now, the University isrunning the capital campaign without a permanentfinancial officer.

Corlette served in an acting role after VicePresident for Government, Community and PublicAffairs John H. Shattuck left for a job in theState Department early in 1993.

The length of this search combined withperiodic false alarms of a replacement, stronglysuggested that Harvard had been turned down by itstop choices. But on May 20, Rudenstine named JamesH. Rowe '73, a Washington- based vice presidentfor NBC, to the pst, effective July 1.

"I think we're looking forward to havingsomebody finally at the helm and getting on withit," Corlette said.

While she gushed about the importance of theRowe appointment after it was made, Corlette haddownplayed the significant of the empty jobs inMassachusetts Hall for months.

In one memorable attempt to de emphasize thevacancies, Corlette compared the situation inMasachusetts Hall to the constant turmoil andturnover in leadership during some periods inFrench history. There was no need to worry aboutchanges at the top because Harvard, like France,has strong middle-level bureaucrats running theUniversity from below.

"I don't think of its as a void," Corlettesaid," because there's such a huge staffunderneath."

Using substantially less metaphor, Rudenstinealso said the number of vacancies paled incomparison to the nine administrative appointmentshe confronted after he took the job in 1991.

"When there are two gaps out of something like38 at an institution of this size it may look likelarge gaps, and certainly there are gaps and Iwill fill them, " the president said.

But the biggest gap facing Rudenstine may bethe growing distance between his initial vision ofa harmonious, integrated University and theadministrative disarray that surrounds him in thepresent.Crimson photo illustration from Crimson filephotos/SoRelle B. B Braun and Eugene Y. ChangTOO MANY BALLS IN THE AIR: President NEIL L.RUDENSTINE and, from left, outgoing Provost JERRYGREEN; his successor, Dean of the Kennedy SchoolALBERT CARNESALE, former Vice President forGovernment, Community and Public Affairs JOHN H.SHATTUCK; his sucessor, acting vice president JANEH. CORLETTE, her successor JAMES ROWE '73; formerVice President for Finance ROBERT H. SCOTT.