In fact, only three vice presidents took office along with Bok; the fourth, Dr. Chase N. Peterson '52, becomes vice president for Alumni Relations this month. Their performances, while drawing some criticism, have suited Bok's overall designs: the University's resources are better accounted for and more closely guarded. And as their familiarity with their jobs increases, Bok intends to let them "act more independently," thereby freeing himself for other concerns.

The major appointments Bok has made reflect a penchant for administrative ability rather than specific experience. Several, including Hale Champion, vice president for Finances; Charles U. Daly, vice president for Government and Community Affairs: and Paul Ylvisaker, the new dean of the School of Education, have had successes outside of education greater than or equal to their accomplishments in academic posts.

Others, such as Stephen S.J. Hall, vice president for Administration: Stephen B. Farber '64, assistant to the President: and Howard Hiatt, the new dean of the School of Public Health, are either new to academic environs or to the specific field with which they will be concerned. The crucial qualification for Bok is proven ability in a related field from which a smooth transition to Cambridge can be made.

"I feel we were remarkably successful with all of these appointments," Bok said. "There is not a single person among them about whom I have reservations." He added that although there are no more key posts left unfilled, he still regards the appointments process "as one of the two or three most important things I can contribute to the University."

This process extends beyond vice presidents and deans to the selection of faculty committees constantly being formed throughout the University. Bok is also concerned about attracting the new faculty members who will staff such committees in the future. He is encouraged about his initial efforts:

"I am very pleased about the continuing ability of Harvard to attract the ablest people to is faculty. I am particularly, pleased by the evidence I have received that the people we are drawing to Harvard have great teaching ability. Most are very good, if not outstanding, teachers as well as scholars."

The large amount of time spent making administrative adjustments and appointments. Bok said, is "a peculiar feature of the first year in office." But as any faculty member will point out, it is questionable as to how much influence Bok can exercise in educational policy matters even should he now reallocate his time and set education as a personal priority.

Bok realizes these difficulties, perhaps better now than a year ago. "I've found it easiest to make progress in the administrative area," he said. "There is no denying that change and reform in education comes more slowly.

"To effect these changes on a broad scale, you have to persuade a very large number of people. And it is essential that they be enthusiastic about the changes, because otherwise implementation will be very difficult."

One deterrent to change is what Bok calls Harvard's "institutional architecture." "I am very anxious to find ways to increase cooperation between different areas of the University, primarily through teaching programs in related fields. We want to develop closer cooperation, for instance, between the Medical School and the Biological Sciences in the College, between the Kennedy and the Business Schools. But there is a problem of how to develop structures which will enhance cooperation."

Bok sees a need to impose academic "superstructures on existing structures" to facilitate the fulfillment of "an evident need for cooperation from different parts of the University." Some of the areas in which he feels joint programs can be established are public policy, cancer research, community health care, population and environment.

"We have to try to see where groups of people throughout the University are working on different aspects of the same problem, and then create new structures which will not interfere with our existing organizations but will enable interested people from different faculties to work productively together," he said.

Bok recognizes that any influence he will have on education depends on how rapidly and how effectively his new deans take hold; also, he must sway current deans to his way of thinking. "It's probably healthy, and certainly inevitable, that no school at Harvard can ever change decisively within a year," he said. "New courses, new research, evolve slowly. One does not look for decisive change; one looks for gradual changes in direction."

Perhaps the most sobering aspect of Bok's move from being dean of the Law School to being the University's chief officer is the sheer magnitude of his new job. Rather than a small faculty (less than 80 members) and a student body of easily definable proportions. Bok now has to deal with diverse constituencies, the vast majority of which he can know only peripherally.

"Certainly it was much easier to bring about educational reform in a small school. It is much more difficult to understand the different areas of education in the University than to keep informed in the single school where one has studied and taught. There are some other problems in the job of president that I didn't appreciate quite so clearly at the beginning. By far the most serious one is that of communication--being able to keep in touch with different groups of people so that all will be able to understand what we are doing and why," Bok said.