Carnesale Takes On New Roles

Eight days after his return from a medical leave, President Neil L. Rudenstine has already reallocated some of his duties to Provost Albert Carnesale, the provost said yesterday.

As a result of Rudenstine's three-month medical leave and reduced workload, Carnesale has stepped up his role in the University's $2.1 billion capital campaign, the provost said.

"Although it was always expected that I would be involved to some extent in the campaign, it's clear that I'll be doing more of that," Carnesale said.

In particular, the provost will be involved in more of the "international aspects" of the campaign--travelling abroad in order to raise money, he said.

Carnesale added that he will also spend more time in Washington lobbying the government than he did before Rudenstine's medical leave.

Carnesale, who is serving concurrently as dean of the Kennedy School of Government, said his efforts will be directed towards issues including research funding and student aid.

Within the University, he is also chairing an interfaculty benefits committee, as well as a central administration budget advisory committee.

In addition, Carnesale said that he has been spending more time with Rudenstine lately in order to ensure a smooth transition. Carnesale had served as acting president during Rudenstine's medical leave.

Carnesale emphasized that the president is showing little of the fatigue and exhaustion that Universi- ty officials say prompted his absence.

"I've had some contact with him, and he's asenergetic and lively as ever," the provost said."Plus, he's had time to think of lots of new ideasand issues and things to do, so none of us aroundhere are suffering for a lack of work now thathe's returned."

Carnesale refused to comment on any of the newideas that have been brought before him, however.

The provost also outlined his vision for thenew budget committee, which he said has alreadymet once.

"The principal purpose this time is to try tolook at it all strategically, rather than getcaught up in the nitty-gritty of individualline-items," Carnesale said. "The first timethrough, it's to try to get a strategic picture."

Carnesale added he hoped that the new committeewould allow for greater information sharing withinthe central administration.

Carnesale refused to offer any new details onthe progress of the search for his successor atthe Kennedy School.

He said that the search committee has come upwith a short list, but added that he didn't knowwhen a new dean would be named.

"I'm not sure I would give you the number [ofweeks before the search committee announces itsdecision] if I knew it, for fear it might change,"Carnesale said. "But the fact is, I don't knowit."

Carnesale also criticized a new bill introducedthis week in Congress that would cut federalfunding to any university that restricts ROTCprograms on its campus. He said that thegovernment is not interested in "diseconomies ofsmaller scale," in maintaining ROTC programs onevery campus, since budget constraints have forcedmany smaller programs to shut down.

"I think the bill is really somewhatmisinformed," Carnesale said.

Carnesale also discussed Rudenstine's recentappearance on the cover of Newsweek. Thepresident was portrayed in a weary pose, setagainst the headline "Exhausted."

"I don't believe it's detrimental to theUniversity or to him," Carnesale said. "Indeed,the article is about a national problem in theUnited States. In this article, it's more clearthat the problem is [something] that singleparents have...than that it was about universitypresidents."

Carnesale said he believed that editors of themagazine were upset about being denied the chanceto interview the president.

"I think part of it is the question of where doyou draw the line [with interviews]," the provostsaid. "Now, since Newsweek was on the otherside of the line, they're angry. I under stand,but I actually don't think we made a mistake."

Finally, the provost refused to comment onallegations made by a security guard that theguard's recent suspension was motivated by aUniversity vendetta against him.

The guard, Steven G. McCombe, has accused theUniversity of fabricating charges of racialharassment against him because of his role inrepresenting University security guards.

Jonathan N. Axelrod contributed to thereporting of this story

"I've had some contact with him, and he's asenergetic and lively as ever," the provost said."Plus, he's had time to think of lots of new ideasand issues and things to do, so none of us aroundhere are suffering for a lack of work now thathe's returned."

Carnesale refused to comment on any of the newideas that have been brought before him, however.

The provost also outlined his vision for thenew budget committee, which he said has alreadymet once.

"The principal purpose this time is to try tolook at it all strategically, rather than getcaught up in the nitty-gritty of individualline-items," Carnesale said. "The first timethrough, it's to try to get a strategic picture."

Carnesale added he hoped that the new committeewould allow for greater information sharing withinthe central administration.

Carnesale refused to offer any new details onthe progress of the search for his successor atthe Kennedy School.

He said that the search committee has come upwith a short list, but added that he didn't knowwhen a new dean would be named.

"I'm not sure I would give you the number [ofweeks before the search committee announces itsdecision] if I knew it, for fear it might change,"Carnesale said. "But the fact is, I don't knowit."

Carnesale also criticized a new bill introducedthis week in Congress that would cut federalfunding to any university that restricts ROTCprograms on its campus. He said that thegovernment is not interested in "diseconomies ofsmaller scale," in maintaining ROTC programs onevery campus, since budget constraints have forcedmany smaller programs to shut down.

"I think the bill is really somewhatmisinformed," Carnesale said.

Carnesale also discussed Rudenstine's recentappearance on the cover of Newsweek. Thepresident was portrayed in a weary pose, setagainst the headline "Exhausted."

"I don't believe it's detrimental to theUniversity or to him," Carnesale said. "Indeed,the article is about a national problem in theUnited States. In this article, it's more clearthat the problem is [something] that singleparents have...than that it was about universitypresidents."

Carnesale said he believed that editors of themagazine were upset about being denied the chanceto interview the president.

"I think part of it is the question of where doyou draw the line [with interviews]," the provostsaid. "Now, since Newsweek was on the otherside of the line, they're angry. I under stand,but I actually don't think we made a mistake."

Finally, the provost refused to comment onallegations made by a security guard that theguard's recent suspension was motivated by aUniversity vendetta against him.

The guard, Steven G. McCombe, has accused theUniversity of fabricating charges of racialharassment against him because of his role inrepresenting University security guards.

Jonathan N. Axelrod contributed to thereporting of this story