In addition to the swing in the previously-evenbalance between academics and business executives,Slichter's departure marks the first time indecades that the Corporation is left without ascientist.

Slichter was the Center for Advanced Studyprofessor of physics and chemistry at theUniversity of Illinois and a former physicslecturer for Harvard.

As a physicist, Slichter provided a perspectivethat English Renaissance scholar Rudenstine andeconomist Rosovsky may not have shared.

And that perspective is especially importanttoday, faculty and administrators say, whenscience funding for universities is facing itslargest challenge in years due to possible budgetcuts inCongress.

But some say Houghton's position at a companyinvolved in scientific research may provide theneeded knowledge.

"He comes from an organization, Corning, thatis [very much] based on innovations based onscience. I'm sure he's a person with a very [good]perspective on science," says Baird Professor ofScience Dudley R. Herschbach. "If you lookinto...Corning, it's one of those companies that'sbeen science-based for much of thecentury."

"I wouldn't call him just another CEO," addsHerschbach, a Nobel laureate in chemistry.

Some observers, however, question the level ofscientific experience that would come from abusiness expert instead of a scientificresearcher.

In addition, the University has made littleprogress towards a coherent policy regulating therelationship between Harvard scientists and theprivate sector--especially since the departurelast spring of Leverett Professor of PoliticalEconomy and former provost Jerry R. Green, whochaired the Committee on Science Policy.

Indeed, the issue has been put on the backburner by Rudenstine since Green left office. Theloss of Slichter's voice as a scientist may provedetrimental to the University within this realm.

"Charles Slichter added the perspective of theacademic and scientist to the Corporation,"Rosovsky said in an interview with The Crimsonjust after Slichter announced his departure. "Hewas a tremendous upholder of academic values. Hefought hard if he ever thought the University wascompromising its teaching or research."

Rosovsky was a member of the search committeethat chose Hougton, along with Daniel, Stone,Rudenstine and Overseers Renee Landers and ThomasMurphy.

Although Rosovsky has previously endorsed theidea of including academics on the committee, hestopped short, suggesting a limit of the number ofseats available.

"The difficulty is that the Corporation is toosmall to set aside certain seats for certain kindsof people, but we will keep [that] in mind,"Rosovsky said in November.

Apparently, however, the committee's decisionwas not even contentious.