“There are more than 3,000 more voices of presidents who are part of the higher education community in this country,” he explains.

“The so-called ‘bully pulpit’ is a chain round the neck of any President. Say too much, and you are excoriated for exploiting the Harvard name for a personal (or even an institutional) agenda. Say too little, and you’re accused of failing to use the opportunities that your position provides,” Knowles explains.

University spokesperson Joe Wrinn argues that a stronger national voice would not have been heard.

“There’s far too much static out there as far as people promoting their causes. Everybody has a P.R. person. Everyone has an expert,” Wrinn says.

“So much happens outside the airwaves,” he explains. “That’s how work gets done, and Neil gets things done.”

Huidekoper points out that the Universities of today are larger, more complex institutions.

“I think each person brings different things to the job. I think it’s harder today to use the presidency as a bully pulpit than it was twenty years ago,” Huidekoper says.

In addition, she explains, Rudenstine’s deep respect for the faculty made him less inclined to speak publicly.

“He thinks they should speak for themselves,” she says. “I think he feels that one person should not try to represent Harvard.”

According to Princeton President Howard Shapiro, Rudenstine’s reserve has not hampered his influence. Rudenstine, he says, is very thoughtful in his meetings with other university presidents and has led the way with several choice issues such as national science policy.

“He doesn’t speak loudly, or even often, but he changes people’s minds about things,” he says.

“I’ve found it much more important, much more effective to choose issues carefully on which I felt I was both more knowledgeable, and also interested and cared about really passionately,” Rudenstine explains.

Ironically enough, after his first year at Harvard, Rudenstine was praised for speaking out more than Bok. When Peninsula, a conservative campus magazine, printed an issue condemning homosexuality, sparking campus-wide debate, Rudenstine responded by publicly showing his support for gay Harvard students and faculty.

In response to the article, Gomes publicly announced that he was gay. Though the Harvard community was generally supportive of Gomes, a small group of students called for Gomes’ resignation. At a time when many would have kept a lower profile, Rudenstine spoke out in support of Gomes.

“I could not have had a more supportive or loyal boss,” Gomes says. “He was wonderful, both formally and informally, publicly and privately.”