"Presidents should, not unlike individualcitizens, speak up if they have different pointsof view," says Donald K. Hess, vice president ofadministration at the University of Rochester.

Rudenstine recognizes the need for cooperativeefforts.

"I think there is a strong place for Harvard atthe table and I've been pretty involved and I'vebeen pretty involved and I've probably put moretime in than...I don't know what the normal amountof time is," he says.

In fact, much of his time has been spent incooperation with other universities, he says, andit is difficult to appraise how much of a leaderhe has been in group efforts.

"I think it would be a real mistake to not seethis...as a collaborative effort because itaffects everybody," Rudenstine says.

But by many accounts, Rudenstine appears not tobe taking full advantage of the role of leadershiphis position offers.

"Your president in general and higher educationas a whole tend to be much more reactive. Theydon't get out there until a problem has arisen,"Aicken says.

Other leaders agree and few point to Rudenstineas a particularly active party.

"[Former Yale president A. Bartlett] Giamattispoke out on issues," says James E. Perley,president of the American Association ofUniversity Professors. "I wouldn't fault NeilRudenstine for not being a forceful leader. Ithink he's a president in the new style ofleaders."

But Row says Rudenstine has been an effectivenational leader.

"I think he's a voice both for Harvard andhigher education," he says. "He is someone who hasbeen in Washington talking with officials on thephone and he writes a good number of letters toofficials and staff."

Associations

One of Rudenstine's most often citedshortcomings is his lack of participation inWashington's education lobbying groups.

These groups play an important role inmonitoring congress's day-to-day progress oneducation issues. And their overview of particularissues allows them to plan strategies for--and bethe focus of --lobbying efforts.

Rudenstine emphasizes that the issues Congresshas targeted are funding for basic research andfinancial aid for graduate students-- both ofwhich of lie outside the domain of Colleges.