President-elect Lawrence H. Summers has begun soliciting advice, observations, and names as the first part of the search to replace outgoing Provost Harvey V. Fineberg ’67, indicating that he most likely will retain the provost position in his new administration.

A letter asking for suggestions was sent to faculty members last week, and was published in a similar form in yesterday’s Harvard Gazette. The letter thanks the community for offering their “good wishes” on his appointment and outlines Summers’ understanding of the role of provost as it currently exists.

“I’d take the letter as a pretty strong indication of what he’s going to do,” said Fineberg, who will step down at the end of June.

Outgoing president Neil L. Rudenstine appointed a provost upon assuming his office in 1991. This was Harvard’s first modern provost and served directly beneath Rudenstine.

The letter indicates that Summers is intending to follow Rudenstine’s lead in appointing someone who will serve as the president’s close partner on major policy matters.

In an interview yesterday, however, Fineberg said that the new president will still have great latitude in determining the administrative structure of the University.

“It’s going to be up to the new president,” he said.

Fineberg described his role as that of a top deputy and right-hand man.

“You want to appoint someone who is complimentary to the president in personality, who you can stop in and chat with for ten minutes at the end of the day,” he said.

Summers encouraged Gazette readers to comment on the role of the provost, as well as asked for names of possible candidates “within Harvard or beyond, who merit serious consideration.”

Suggestions can be sent to Summers, c/o Loeb House, 17 Quincy St, Cambridge, Mass., 02138, or by e-mail, to provostadvice@harvard.edu.

—Staff writer David H. Gellis can be reached at gellis@fas.harvard.edu.