“He has a good sense of humor and enjoys banter,” Adams House Master Sean D. Palfrey says. “He’s very in tune with people, partly because he listens.”

Gross’ “direct and honest” communication style has engendered an administration characterized by cooperation and efficiency, House Masters say.

“He’s very inclusive—he listens to everyone,” Palfrey says. “He puts things together from lots of different points of view in a very practical way.”

“A number of times when people were up against hard issues, he’s taken time and shown real concern,” Dingman says.

Using personal interests to relate to people outside the conference room has created a more relaxed College administration, his colleagues say.

“I can’t speak math with him, but he can speak French with me,” says Kirkland House Master and Professor of Romance Languages and Literature Tom Conley. “He’s got a great sense of humor—we need it.”

It probably comes in handy for the constant barrage of meetings, heavy workload and long nights.

Like the toothbrush.

—Staff writer Katharine A. Kaplan can be reached at kkaplan@fas.harvard.edu.

—Staff writer Rebecca D. O’Brien can be reached at robrien@fas.harvard.edu.