Even as the meeting dragged on to twice its allotted length, he did not realize that he was being considered for Harvard's presidency.

Although Pusey was slow to recognize his own talents, many said that his past achievements indicated that he would be the perfect successor.

While Conant had brought the University to the forefront of educational reform, Harvard's commitment to its religious roots had waned over his tenure. Shortly after Conant's resignation, the Dean of the Divinity School also resigned, leaving the institution with only three professors and a handful of part-time instructors.

Pusey, a devout Episcopalian, believed that religious education was an important component of college life. At Lawrence, Pusey instituted a mandatory religion course and held monthly convocations with religious themes. He also created a "Freshman Studies" program--a mandatory course for first-year students at the college-- designed to expose student to a diverse range of educational experiences, from Darwin to Dostoevsky.

At Lawrence Pusey had shown a strong interest in the students of his university. He was noted for attending Saturday football games. He contrasted sharply with Conant, who had drawn criticism for spending too much time in the national spotlight and letting Buck take care of matters in Harvard Yard.

This detachment from the University carried over into the fundraising arena, leaving the many areas of the University, especially the college, strapped for funds.

During Pusey's nine-year tenure at Lawrence, the college's endowment doubled, though he was modest about the accomplishment, attributing it to curricular reforms rather than fundraising efforts.

"There has been a growing respect for our aims. There was increasing evidence of the fact that this was a quality college," he told The Crimson.