You might expect an outgoing university president to take a little time out to savor his remaining days in office. To reflect on his years at the institution, perhaps. Or maybe just to relax. But not Derek Bok.

Bok, who steps down June 30 after 20 years as president of Harvard, says he is busier than ever these days.

In fact, Bok says, between the usual spring-time load of meetings to attend and faculty positions to fill, not to mention the host of dinners and receptions being held in his honor, he is "booked to the hilt through graduation."

"I doubt very much whether I'm going to have a great deal of time just to sit around," he says.

Bok, who announced his decision to resign last June, will be suceeded by Neil L. Rudenstine, who is currently executive vice president of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation in New York.

Bok says the transition process itself is relatively straightforward. "I just don't show up one morning and he's here."

He says that as far as he knows, little paperwork will be necessary on his part. "This is a pretty informal place," he says. "The Corporation knows I'm going. I know I'm going. I don't think I have to write them about it."

Until then, Bok says, business is proceeding pretty much as usual in Mass Hall, although he is trying to make sure that a number of his projects are either completed or well underway before he leaves.

Several other University officials say they are making a concerted effort to finish such projects, in honor of the outgoing president.

Nancy S. Pyle of the Harvard Institute for International Development (HIID) says that her office is hoping to complete one or two more debt-for-scholarship swaps before the end of the academic year. As part of the internationalization effort that has been one of Bok's special interests, HIID created the firstever such swap last summer with Ecuador. Recently a similar deal was worked out with Mexico.

"Since that was his initiative, we would like to honor him by concluding as many as possible before he goes," says Pyle.

Dean of the College L. Fred Jewett '57 says that Bok wanted to appoint masters for Currier and Eliot House before stepping down--appointments that were made yesterday. Bok is also taking an interest in seeing that the DeWolfe St. housing complex is completed, says Jewett.

James D. Wilkinson, director of the Danforth Center for Teaching and Learning, says he is pushing forward a number of projects aimed at improving teaching quality that he hopes will come together before Bok's departure.

These projects aim to help teaching fellows assemble portfolios reviewing their work, and should yield "videotaped vignettes" based on real-life classroom situations and a handbook for junior faculty.

and others like them, will form part of his legacy, Wilkinson says.