Not only was Daly plucked from Harvard's administrative ranks to serve as the library's director and, later, the foundation's CEO, but a number of other foundation officials are Harvard graduates, including three of the six members of the committee that chose Shattuck.

Eli in the Yard

Fresh out of Yale Law School, Shattuck joined the American Civil Liberties Union, where he rose to become executive director of the Washington office before coming to Harvard.

Since leaving the University in 1993 to serve as Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, Shattuck's principal work has been in foreign affairs. In 1998 he became Ambassador to the Czech Republic, a post that he will leave in January to join the Kennedy Foundation.

Those who worked with Shattuck at Harvard say that he was an effective insider, both in Mass. Hall and in Washington, D.C., while others emphasize Shattuck's active role in the Cambridge community.

"John took a very, very great interest in community relations," said Jane Corlette, an associate vice president who worked with Shattuck. "He had three kids in Cambridge public schools. He became a very concerned citizen."

But Bok points out that for all the good that can be said of him, Shattuck has a dark side: a "morbid love of New Haven" that he shares with Daly, both of whom graduated from Yale College.

Kirk jokes that for Yale graduates, both have done reasonably well for themselves.

"This is the best career path any Yale guy every had," Kirk quipped.