Such an significant reshaping of the University’s structure is likely to be resisted both by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and the graduate schools; Summers will need to use all his political acumen to bring about the change that is necessary for integration.

Community and Labor Relations

But that political acumen was poorly represented on one front in Friday’s speech. Summers reaffirmed his intention to aggressively develop University land in Allston in what may turn out to be a multi-billion dollar expansion, citing the precedents set by the construction of Harvard Business School on a former swamp and the Kennedy School of Government on a former Red Line train yard. But though expansion is sorely needed, the issue is more complex than a matter of building on new and far-flung land; it will require careful planning and a respectful relationship with the Allston community.

At the same time that Harvard expands into Allston, it cannot afford to compromise its relations with Cambridge. Summers never mentioned Cambridge explicitly during his address, even though the University is currently in an unpleasant spat with the city over the development of a new modern art museum on Memorial Drive. According to Cambridge Mayor Anthony D. Galluccio, Summers has had a good start in his relationship with Cambridge leadership, but Galluccio said he would have appreciated a more explicit commitment in the speech to improving town-gown relations.

Summers should have made a commitment to improving dialogue on the wage issues that rocked the campus with the student takeover of Massachusetts Hall last spring. Summers did make reference to meeting “obligations to members of our campus community and to the communities in which we reside.” Those words are widely seen as referring to raising the poverty wages that some University employees receive; we hope that Summers can see the need for the wealthy University to treat its workers with the utmost respect and decency. The speech still leaves Summers’ position on the living wage unclear. We hope that when the Harvard Committee on Employment and Contracting Policies currently examining the issue makes its report, Summers will choose a course of action that shows the “passionate moral commitment” that he said the University must possess.

The Global Harvard?

Summers closed his speech with the prediction that Harvard is becoming a “global university” that must “extend excellence without ever diluting it.” As the former Secretary of the Treasury and head of the World Bank, Summers has ample experience with international issues. He knows that the world is becoming a smaller place, and a more dangerous place. His opening reference to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks was balanced by his call for the increased openness and communication that are stimulated by advances in digital communication technology. Rudenstine shunned the bully pulpit that the presidency of Harvard offered him. We hope that Summers will make every use of it to advance Harvard’s educational and institutional interests, to engage Harvard more deeply with the rest of the world and to continue to bring the best people in the world to Harvard.

The Summers era has now begun. The goals and challenges are clear. We wish Summers the best of luck. If he is to succeed, he will need it.