The Asian financial crisis and the Mexican bailout were both high-stakes political controversies that played out during Summers' time as a top policymaker.
But Kamarck says none of these controversies hurt him personally.
"He took a lot of grief, but no personal hits," she says. "When someone can come through something like the Mexican bailout without permanent scars, it's testament to their ability."
Kamarck agreed that the University president should not be an overly political figure, but pointed out that of the cabinet secretaries, the secretary of the treasury is one of the least partisan positions anyway.
Mathews says that knowing how to play politics could be an advantage in a university environment of diverse individuals.
"He has been in places where you need to make those kinds of judgements," she says.
--Staff writer David H. Gellis can be reached at gellis@fas.harvard.edu.