Lewis, on the other hand, is out.
He said that he has some thinking to do about his future, but that he will continue teaching next fall—now with the title of Harvard College Professor.
Summers praised Lewis’ service to the College.
“Dean Lewis has done a great deal for the College during his deanship,” he said.
While professors hesitated to criticize the move, staffers under Lewis said they were dismayed and even upset.
“I just think that this is very sad news for the College and for the interests of students,” Dean of Freshmen Elizabeth Studley Nathans said. “Dean Lewis has made immense contributions and important contributions and it’s always very sad when someone who has done as much as he has leaves a position.”
“I was really shocked to hear the news and found it to be rather upsetting,” Assistant Dean of the College Karen E. Avery ’87 said. “I think he’s been an absolutely terrific dean and a terrific boss, and I was sorry to hear this was the direction that Harvard College was going in.”
While the idea of combining the offices of the dean of the College and dean of undergraduate education may have merit, Avery said, “there was a better way to roll it out and pursue it than what has been done.”
The suggestion for a reorganization is an old one in fact, and one with a somewhat unexpected supporter.
Prior to being appointed dean, Lewis co-authored a controversial “Report on the Structure of Harvard College.” Among suggestions about nearly every aspect of the College, the report lays out three possible administrative hierarchies, including one he and Maull called the Single-Faculty-Dean Structure.
While Kirby said yesterday that many details of the proposed structure have yet to be worked out, his description closely matched Lewis’ original proposal.
“The faculty Dean of Harvard College would be a close adviser to the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and a key member of the Academic Deans, to be consulted on all matters regarding undergraduate education,” the 1994 report said.
“As now, the Dean of Harvard College would represent the Faculty with respect to the Houses and all aspects of undergraduate life. In addition, the Dean of Harvard College might work more closely with the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences on other issues, such as faculty appointments and ad hoc committees, the Core Standing Committee, and the Educational Policy Committee.” (Please see further excerpts below right.)
Lewis declined to comment on the merits of Kirby’s move yesterday.
Kirby said that he hopes to complete the reorganization by the end of the semester.
—Staff writers Alexander J. Blenkinsopp, Rebecca D. O’Brien, Sarah M. Seltzer, Nalina Sombuntham, Elisabeth S. Theodore and Jessica E. Vascellaro contributed to the reporting of this story.