"There are precedents for the president being on leave before," Carnesale said.
Several Meetings
There were "several meetings" of University officials over the Thanksgiving weekend, Wrinn said.
The Corporation met this weekend, according to University Treasurer D. Ronald Daniel.
"I'm disappointed but [Rudenstine] was exhausted and will have some tests," Daniel said. "Carnesale will be fine. He will pick up a lot of the responsibilities, but we will obviously Miss Neil. He was particularly effective."
University officials expressed little surprise at Rudenstine's exhaustion.
Former President Nathan M. Pusey '28 said this afternoon that he did not know about the move, but said he was afraid something of the sort could happen.
"I've been worried about President Rudenstine because he has been working so hard," Pusey said. "He's trying to do everything at once."
"He's a man who works very hard and needs a vacation," Allen Proctor, the new finance vice president, said. "It should renew him. We all need one. Presidents just don't get them very often."
But Daniel cautioned that Rudenstine's leave is "definitely not a vacation. It is a medical leave of absence."
Former Provost Jerry R. Green, Leverett professor of political economy, also said yesterday that he had not heard anything about Rudenstine's leave of absence before the announcement.
"I was surprised," said Green, who added that he had not seen the president for a while. "I wish him a speedy recovery."
Jonathan N. Axelrod, Elizabeth T. Bangs, Gaston de los Reyes, Stephen A. Engel, Stephen E. Frank, Marion B. Gammill, Jonathan A. Lewin, Sarah E. Scrogin and Andrew L. Wright contributed to the reporting of this story.