Summers has told at least one faculty that lodged an official objection to a move—Harvard Law School—that all options are still on the table.

The Mass. Hall source explained that Summers wanted to take a hard line in forcing greater cooperation and central planning.

Each of Harvard’s parts may have its own financial fiefdom, Summers said in his speech, “but all draw on the reservoir of knowledge and tradition that Harvard represents.”

Summers has stressed that all Allston planning will be routed through his office. He has also said that the full development of the Allston properties would stretch at least 30 years into the future.

But with his speech, Summers got the ball rolling.

Financial Aid

While the focus on undergraduates and the mention of Allston were expected, even some administrators admitted that they were taken by surprise by Summers’ comments on graduate student financial aid.

While any student can attend the College regardless of financial situation, Summers said the University would not rest until the same was true of the graduate schools and the whole of the University.

Multiple administration sources said it was not clear what form need-blind admissions and full need-based aid at the graduate schools would take.

But officials sketched the basis for a costly effort, replete with complicated side effects.

While any effort, they said, would include increased aid, it would also have take into account payment structures which depend on loans and loan forgiveness, as at the law school, business school and medical school.

The effort would mean massive fundraising, as well as a commitment to spend the endowment payout more liberally. One source estimated that costs could end up in the tens of millions of dollars every year.

At least with regard to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS), Summers’ initiative could have ramifications on how undergraduates are taught.

GSAS students pay for a large portion of their tuition and other expenses through employment, which usually means being a teaching fellow. It follows then that any increase in aid would lessen the incentive for graduate students to teach undergraduates.

Dean of GSAS Peter T. Ellison agrees that increased aid would mean fewer teaching fellows.