Welcome Back, Rudenstine

Tomorrow President Neil L. Rudenstine will return full time to his duties after a medical leave that began in late November. We would like to take this opportunity to welcome President Rudenstine back to Massachusetts Hall and to wish him well as he begins what he terms "round two" of his presidency.

In a recent interview with The Crimson, Rudenstine said that he was "very refreshed" and "feeling excellent." It appears that the fatigue and exhaustion that prompted his medical leave are now part of the past--at least for the time being.

Rudenstine said that reducing his workload to a manageable size will be one of his goals upon returning to his post. Several duties formerly held by Rudenstine have been turned over to Provost Albert Carnesale or to small committees. Rudenstine has said that the second phase of his presidency will proceed at a slower pace than the first. But there will still be many pressing matters that will require his attention.

Much has happened since Rudenstine took his leave. The compromise on the ROTC issue, which called for using alumni contributions to fund the program, was released by Carnesale soon after Rudenstine's departure. Also while Rudenstine was away, McKay Professor of Computer Science Harry R. Lewis '68 was named the new Dean of Harvard College. Upon his return, Rudenstine must devote his time and energy to the ongoing $2.1 billion capital campaign. The campaign calls for the raising of $1 million a day. The job of fundraising, a tiring business, will no doubt involve numerous meetings and much travel.

For round two of his presidency, Rudenstine will focus on such taxing matters as the capital campaign and implementation of the academic plan. Given such a full agenda, Rudenstine may be tempted to manage as many matters as he possibly can. As president, he has ultimate responsibility for what happens to Harvard. Like many leaders in similar positions, he may be unwilling to let others administer matters for which he will take the blame in the event that problems arise. We hope Rudenstine will succeed in delegating more tasks to others.

Speaking about his return, Rudenstine said that "there will be more time for reflection, more time for writing and reading..." We hope Rudenstine succeeds in lightening his workload and setting aside more time for these important tasks. If Rudenstine hopes to make his voice heard on the important local and national issues that affect Harvard, he must save time for such key intellectual processes.

If Rudenstine is to fulfill his duties as president, transcending the role of supreme fundraiser (ever heard of Benno Schmidt?), he must recognize that the presidency also includes the roles of scholar and academic. If he hopes to successfully carry out his many duties, Rudenstine must give himself time to rest and reflect every now and then. We wish him well as he embarks upon the second part of his term.