Wisse said that feminists are offended by Summers’ discounting of discrimination as a significant factor in the underrepresentation of women in science because his statements undermine their life’s work attempting to prove that discrimination exists.
LEADERSHIP
While professors concerned with gender issues will continue their attacks on Summers, yesterday’s transcript release will also likely do nothing to silence broader faculty criticisms of Summers’ leadership style.
“I do not think the apology indicates that he has a new administrative style,” Matory said. “By and large, we have on our hands someone who would do a much better job as an economist than as a university president.”
A senior faculty member echoed the idea that leadership is the central issue in the conflict between Summers and the Faculty.
“[The transcript release] doesn’t really get rid of the question of whether he has the good judgement to be an effective president of the university,” the professor said.
—Staff writer William C. Marra can be reached at wmarra@fas.harvard.edu.
—Staff writer Sara E. Polsky can be reached at polsky@fas.harvard.edu.