"One hopes that [a University] can maintain an atmosphere of open inquiry, particularly to be free from the accepted pieties of one's own time," said Peretz Professor of Yiddish Literature Ruth R. Wisse. "Is someone so involved in the political process who has signed on to so many ideas able to take on this higher obligation? I guess that will be his task."

Fair and Square

Even Summers' area of academic expertise-economics-represents a departure from the traditional ideal of a primarily humanities-minded university president, such as Professor of English and American Literature and Language Rudenstine.

Verba felt that Summers' applied intellectual temperament would not pose an obstacle.

"You bring in a professor of comparative literature who's an expert in the humanities," he said, "and he wouldn't know anything about the natural sciences. What makes these people successful is their ability to transcend their own disciplines."

But Mansfield questioned Summers' appropriateness as the Harvard mascot.

"Economists tend to be squares," said Mansfield, "so we'll need to teach him a love of poetry and a love of sports."