Even though the Proctor search took more than a year, Vice President of Government, Community and Public Affairs James H. Rowe III'73 said he expects the University will fill the position by the start of the next academic year.

Though Proctor will leave his post in less than three weeks, he will stay on until the end of this school year as a special adviser to the president in order to ease the transition.

Carnesale said the search will start where the last one left off, focusing on other candidates who were interested in the position two years ago. The search will be somewhat different this time, though, as the University now has a better idea of the traits necessary to succeed in this position, he said.

In the past, Harvard presidents have spearheaded the selection team for their vice presidents. Even Rudenstine ran the first four vice presidential searches of his administration.

The search for Proctor's successor, however, reflects a shifting of responsibilities between Rudenstine and Carnesale that gives the provost more control over the University's finances and in selecting administrators to deal with them, Proctor said.

"Carnesale is moving toward being the primary person the vice presidents deal with," Proctor said. "I spent most of my time dealing with Carnesale."

He Made His Mark

In spite of a great deal of frustration with Harvard's system, Proctor certainly made his mark during his short tenure.

In 17 months, Proctor established a reputation as a relentless budget-cutter throughout the University.

This budget-cutting drew criticism from some members of his staff, but Proctor said he is proud of the decisions he made.

"I have no apologies for that. It's something I would claim credit for," he said.

"Did it make people unhappy? Yes. Budget cuts are supposed to," Proctor continued. "Did it have a positive result? Yes."

Proctor also claimed credit for helping create a unified budgeting process for the schools that for the first time holds them accountable for expenditures and incomes.

"No one had ever laid income next to expense before," Proctor said. "Now it's can you pay your bills, yes or no?"

While he admits that such changes have been disruptive, he said he thinks most people have come to accept them as necessary.

"Is it disruptive? Yes. Does it have good long-term consequences? Yes. Does it not allow people to do everything they want? Yes. That's what a budget is and that's what I was hired to do," Proctor said.

Proctor has also been instrumental in the early stages of the Administrative Data Project, a massive effort to unify Harvard's accounting systems. According to Carnesale, Proctor's resignation will not affect the multi-year project as his part of the effort has been largely completed