"He ran the world economy," he said. "It's not as difficult as running Harvard, but he should have some background experience."
Former Harvard President Nathan M. Pusey '28 cited Summers' international expertise as a valuable commodity for the university.
"The fact that he has had international experience is to his advantage," Pusey said. "Harvard is so much in the big world that the president has to devote quite a lot of thought to that."
And Leverett Professor in the University Jerry R. Green, who taught Summers, said he felt that the new president's "basic economic intuition" would be invaluable in managing the university.
But Bok cautioned that Summers' ease with the market could lead the university in risky directions.
"There are big issues having to do with the dangers of commercialization within the University," said Bok, "that create risks for very important values of the University," he said. "They need to be defended."
And other members of FAS worried that Summers' past in politics may induce skepticism as to his academic openmindedness.
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