fascinating contrast in demeanor & body language: Pres of Harvard & MIT

Parent Cafe
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<p>The photo below shows Pres. Larry Summers of Harvard dining with Pres. Susan Hockfield of MIT in May 2005.</p>

<p>(The event that brought them together was a dinner celebrating the 90th birthday of MIT Professor Emeritus Paul Samuelson, who is one of Pres. Summers’ two Nobel Laureate uncles.)</p>

<p>Given their vastly different demeanors and body language, one can only wonder what he is saying and what she is thinking. (The possibilities are entertaining to contemplate.)</p>

<p><a href=“http://faculty-web.at.northwestern.edu/economics/gordon/supercontemporary/images/T520.jpg[/url]”>http://faculty-web.at.northwestern.edu/economics/gordon/supercontemporary/images/T520.jpg&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>I looks to me that Hockfield is minding her business and eating while Summers is fast talking about his position on women in the sciences.</p>

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<p>My entry in the caption contest: “Yeah, uh-huh.” For what Dr. Hockfield is thinking.</p>

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<p>For a further contrast, here’s another photo from the same event: President Hockfield looks much more animated and engaged in her conversation with Pres. Summers’ uncle, who was seated on her other side.</p>

<p><a href=“http://faculty-web.at.northwestern.edu/economics/gordon/supercontemporary/pages/T519.htm[/url]”>http://faculty-web.at.northwestern.edu/economics/gordon/supercontemporary/pages/T519.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>Wisteria:</p>

<p>LOL! Remember that Hockfield was one of the 3 university presidents who wrote a letter deploring Summers’ comments.</p>

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<p>Summer’s uncle is Paul Samuelson? Hockfield is probably asking Samuelson how much Summers’ remarks are going to cost Harvard.</p>

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<p>Yep. and his uncle on the other side is Kenneth Arrow. And both parents are economists. And I’m told they are all very nice.</p>

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<p>Caption for the second photo: “When he was a baby, he was only <em>this</em> big of a twit.”</p>

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<p>LOL, TheDad.</p>

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<p>I wonder if college presidents have tenure. I am not sure I understand how Summers has survived this long.</p>

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<p>There is no tenure for presidents (though Summers has tenure as a prof). He has lasted this long and for the foreseeable future because the Harvard Corporation (now composed of individuals mostly appointed by him) support him. They are the ones who do the hiring or firing of the president.</p>

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<p>Paul Samuelson looks like someone that would be fun to have dinner with - I bet he’s discussing his last fishing trip “…the one that got away was…”</p>

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<p>marite,</p>

<p>The Harvard Corporation, most of them appointed by Summers himself, either supports him or has not found a face saving end game.</p>

<p>I vote for the latter.</p>

<p>The problem probably would have been solved if Kerry had won the election. He didn’t, so Harvard still has Larry.</p>

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<p>Caption for the first photo. Summers pointing to plate:</p>

<p>“How come I’m the only one who has to eat crow?”</p>

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<p>I don’t think the nine-member (actually eight-member, now) board is looking for a face-saving end game at all. They apparently applaud Summers for speaking out against the Af-Am Department and women in science. The board is pretty heavily stacked in favor of white, male, Wall Streeters.</p>

<p>The only black member of the board resigned recently, with a blistering public attack on the board’s support for Summers.</p>

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<p>Sac:</p>

<p>That’s the best caption I’ve read!</p>

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<p>interesteddad, what you say is true, but consider that the board is ultimately most concerned with the public image of Harvard and Summer’s ability to fundraise.</p>

<p>We already know Larry’s impact on H’s image. If fundraising falters, or vocal alumni start complaining, IMHO, the board’s hand will be forced.</p>

<p>Vocal alumni already forced out higher ed’s most successful endowment head. You think they could not impact Summers?</p>

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<p>Or, perhaps the Wall Street board made a hard-nosed calculation that Summers’ public squabbles with women and blacks would be a net plus for Harvard fundraising?</p>

<p>At this point in time, the majority of Harvard’s big-money donors are white, wealthy males who, in the board’s perception, may share a view that Harvard is too “progressive”.</p>

<p>I don’t know if they would be right or wrong in that assessment. But, I think anytime you have a governing board at a university that is as homogeneous as the Harvard corporate board, you run a risk of insufficient representation of differing views.</p>

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<p>I don’t think I’ll touch this comment…</p>

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<p>Newmassdad:</p>

<p>I don’t think I’ll touch that comment, either; but I just want to let you know that for the quote function to work, the stroke must go in the other direction, e.g. / instead of . ;)</p>