Popular Professor To Leave Harvard

Assistant Professor of Government Keith J. Bybee will leave Harvard to assume a tenured, endowed chair at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs next year.

Bybee—known for his popular courses in constitutional law—cited the security of the tenured position, the prestige of the Maxwell School and the freedom he will have in his new post as reasons for leaving.

“What I’ll miss the most is the Harvard undergraduates—that’s the best part of the job,” Bybee said.

Bybee—who was scheduled to come up for tenure consideration this fall—has decided that he will not apply for tenure at Harvard.

“Even a good chance at getting tenure under this system is a slim chance,” Bybee said. “The only thing you can count on is that you can’t count on anything in the Harvard system.”

While Bybee was facing the uncertainties of Harvard tenure, he was approached by Syracuse and encouraged to apply there.

“It just turned out to be too attractive to turn down,” Bybee said.

Bybee’s new position, titled the Michael O. Sawyer Chair, will permit him to teach undergraduates, master’s candidates and doctoral students.

“It’s got it all rolled into one,” Bybee said.

The Maxwell School has a “unique structure,” according to Bybee, consisting of Syracuse’s economics and political science departments.

“It’s a graduate school of public affairs like the Kennedy School—the difference is that it is the number one school of public affairs in the country,” Bybee said.

Bybee said he was looking forward to having “substantial resources” at his disposal in his new position, although he said he is not yet sure how he wants to use them.

“Frankly, I’m not sure what I’m going to do,” Bybee said with a chuckle.

The “bread and butter” of the professor’s teaching schedule will likely continue to be constitutional law, he said.

Bybee said he will miss his friends in Cambridge and feels a bit nervous about his relocation to icy Syracuse.

“It is a little closer to the Arctic Circle than I thought I would end up,” Bybee quipped. “[Syracuse]has all the advantages of a small-town life because it allows us to have a house near the university.”

Bybee will not offer any classes this spring—he will be on leave because his wife just gave birth.

Students of Bybee said they will be sorry to see the popular professor go.

“Bybee is a great professor—intelligent, funny and engaging. He makes you want to go to class,” said Jonathan J. Fuentes ’03, a student in Bybee’s tutorial on affirmative action.

And Bybee says losing Harvard undergraduates will be the worst part of leaving.

“That’s my one regret—I can’t take them with me,” Bybee said.

Dean of the Faculty Jeremy R. Knowles was not available for comment. Government department officials were also unavailable for comment.

—Staff writer Lauren R. Dorgan can be reached at dorgan@fas.harvard.edu.