And others say Kirby has actually exhibited the same kind of top-down leadership that Summers has drawn fire for.

“It may be that Larry Summers is not the only person in the upper administration who’s been creating the impression that decisions have already been made,” said Weary Professor of German and Comparative Literature Judith L. Ryan in an interview last month. “If we don’t already come to the same decisions, then these decisions are just going to be made in spite of us anyway.”

Others argue that once Summers’ aggressive leadership style is curtailed, Kirby will have more room to be an effective leader.

“I think most of the Faculty upset has really been directed at President Summers and not at Dean Kirby. I think that most people have pretty good relations with Dean Kirby, and he’s seen as being very responsive and respectful of the faculty,” said Sociology Department Chair Mary C. Waters.

“I think the problem has been, from our perspective at FAS, [Kirby] hasn’t been left alone enough to do his job,” she added.

Kirby’s fate is largely intertwined with Summers’ own—and so today’s no confidence and censure votes promise to have strong consequences for the Dean as well as for the President.

Summers will likely be forced to change some aspects of his leadership style, though the form and extent of those reforms remains to be seen—andKirby will likely see his position among the faculty reinforced.

And professors say they are willing to work with Kirby to help him consolidate his power.

“We would like to give him more support to have him on our side as we try to give the Faculty more say in the governance,” Ryan said yesterday.

—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.