Rudenstine has taken a national role in shaping research partnerships between universities and government, said Sen. Edward M. "Ted" Kennedy '54-'56 in a statement.

Yesterday, national educators also praised Rudenstine for his handling of Harvard's complex bureaucracy.

"Being the president of Harvard is a bit like dancing with an octopus," said Laura Freid, a former publisher of Harvard Magazine and an executive vice president at Brown. "There are so many arms of the University...Neil Rudenstine played an instrumental role in determining a strategic path."

During his tenure, Rudenstine has attempted to bring Harvard's schools closer together, organizing meetings between Harvard deans and leading the first ever University-wide Capital Campaign. In 1991, Rudenstine created the office of the provost to coordinate the work of the faculties.

MIT President Charles M. Vest, a friend of Rudenstine's who lunches with the departing president three times a term, called the decision to create the provost's position "radical."

"It made people sit up and take notice," Vest said.

Another Rudenstine milestone was the merger of Harvard and Radcliffe Colleges, said Margaret H. Marshall, formerly the University's general counsel and now the chief justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.