Even as Rosovsky tried to expand the Faculty's roster, he had to trim in other areas as a result of a budget crunch that gripped FAS and the entire University. This fall Rosovsky was faced with the unpleasant task of cutting six percent from departmental budgets.

"It's been handled very well...extremely thoughtfully," says Maher of the budget cuts. He points to Yale, Princeton and Stanford, where budget cuts have affected many more programs than at Harvard and have "really eaten into resources."

Ruling over the faculty in times of tough budgets are nothing new to Rosovsky. He himself says that it is his apparent destiny to be a rainy-day dean.

"It has been my misfortune to be dean in rough times. I have never been dean in good times," says Rosovsky. "It is only when I left that times were good."

Despite successful budget trimming and faculty hiring, Rosovsky himself continues to downplay his role in the past year. "I accepted and tried to operate this intricate machine," says Rosovsky. "But I didn't try to redesign the machine."

As July 1 approaches, it's well-known that Rosovsky is good and ready to leave University Hall. He is counting down the days on a calendar prominently displayed on his office mantelpiece.

Rosovsky says the calendar is a symbol of his state of mind. "I don't think you fall in love with this type of job twice," he says.

But Rosovsky, despite his impatience, must have learned something from his second tenure as dean. Less than two years after releasing his magnum opus, word has it "the owner" is planning a sequel.