Summers has had his eye on the Harvard job since shortly after Rudenstine's resignation.

Indeed, during the search, many have expressed discomfort at Summers' ambition, which some say borders on arrogance.

His interest in the Harvard post contrasts with the reluctance that presidents of the past have displayed towards taking the job. It took weeks for Nathan M. Pusey '28 to decide to accept the presidency when it was offered to him.

Though as the new president, Summers will be able to define his own priorities, he also inherits a number of continuing projects from the Rudenstine administration.

First and foremost he will have to decide what to do with the University's land in Allston. The decisions that will be made in the next few years will define the landscape of the University for long into the future.

His views about the major issues that will confront his office--information technology, diversity, interdisciplinary work and faculty recruitment--are largely unknown on campus.

He will also be need to make a number of important appointments immediately.

Provost Harvey V. Fineberg '67 is not likely to stay in his position for long, as a new president may want to pick a new provost.

It is unclear how long Dean of the Faculty Jeremy R. Knowles will remain, but Summers will inherit from Rudenstine the task of appointing a replacement for Jerome Murphy, the Dean for the Graduate School of Education.

Rudenstine says that it took him his first few years to figure out the lay of the land at Harvard. This will also be challenging for Summers, who has not taught at Harvard since 1993.

--Staff writer Joshua E. Gewolb can be reached at gewolb@fas.harvard.edu.