"He has carved out his own things--his, not Neil's. That's clear now," Huidekoper says.

"He's taken a number of issues and made them his own," Zeckhauser adds.

This is no small feat in a job that Fineberg himself defines as an extension of the presidency.

The position, re-introduced by Rudenstine at the beginning of his tenure, is only nine years old--as Fineberg says, "in Harvard time that's the flick of an eyelash"--and holds dubious authority in some eyes.

"The provost position at Harvard is not a strong position, let's not kid ourselves," says Al Carnesale, the second of Rudenstine's three provosts and now the president of the University of California at Los Angeles. He compares it to the position of deputy president.

The provost advises the president in most searches, helps administer the University's central bureaucracy. Fineberg is known for his work on interfaculty initiatives, as well as on information technology.

But the provost does not have a final say in major University decisions. Does not sit as a member of the Harvard Corporation. Does not sit as a member of the deans' council. Does not appoint University deans.

"You are not going to be making the final decision. The buck never stops with you and as a result you are never sure if you are not going to be undermined...if you show your hand, that might be trumped by one of the deans or the president, where the buck does stop," the person who has served as an Overseer says.