Curtis Bok, the president's father, was a Philadelphia judge known for his intellectual, patrician demeanor and an ability to remain above the city's machine politics. Some say his demanding court-room manner is reflected in his son's strict standards for evaluating arguments.
"[Curtis Bok] would not lightly permit lawyers to miss the law or to be misguided," says I. Raymond Kremer, who as a lawyer in the 1950s argued cases before Judge Bok.
Coming from this background, Bok had to work hard to acquire the constant mask of congeniality Harvard's presidency requires.
"He has more bonhomie than when he came in, more capacity for wit," Riesman says.
Even now, Bok prefers dealing quietly with individuals to mixing and mingling in large gatherings. While campus groups complain about Bok's inaccessibility, he is known for stopping to chat one-on-one with students he meets in the Yard, amiably questioning them about their experiences at Harvard.
"He's like a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," says Cambridge Mayor Alfred E. Vellucci. "When he's in the business office, he's a frozen popsicle. But then when he's with people he's different."
Bok's public reserve extends to his relationship with the press. Unlike many university presidents, he is reluctant to use the media to get his views across, preferring to express himself through carefully worded reports and speeches.
"He does not want to expose Harvard to misinterpretation," O'Brien says. "He is very, very leery of being misunderstood, and is willing to accept all sorts of brickbats about aloofness and coldness in order to avoid that."
In addition, the pragmatic Bok has said he is wary of spending time preaching on matters that do not directly concern higher education.
"He likes to confine himself to issues on which he can really make a difference," says Rosovsky.
Making a difference is important to Bok, who sees the office of Harvard's presidency as a charge that demands careful stewardship.
"He seems to be very future-oriented and very analytical," Kennedy says. "He is very concerned about how the University will look a long way down the road."
And, after nearly two decades in office, Bok's view of Harvard's future has become just about the only one that matters.