The two Harvard professors who attended the event—Physics Professor Charles M. Marcus and Clay Professor of Mathematics and Theoretical Science Arthur M. Jaffe—came from such non-medical fields.

Casey said that he anticipated Summers would return to Washington to push issues important to Harvard such as increasing federal financial aid spending, modifying the tax code to benefit universities and protecting intellectual property rights. However, he said that he did not expect Summers to adopt a “bully-pulpit” framework.

But at least one college president said he thought otherwise.

“Summers will have a unique role, since no one listens to college presidents anymore,” the president said. “Right now he’s on a honeymoon—getting hour long appearances on the Charlie Rose show.’”

According to the president, Summers will have to work hard, and have people working hard to ensure that he maintains this voice.

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