“I haven’t always felt as comfortable with his personal style, which tends to be challenging and assertive,” Ellison says. “Our views on things haven’t always lined up, which is fine. It’s been a less comfortable working relationship, but not unworkable.”

Ellison says GSAS has a few outstanding problems that will require Skocpol’s attention as she takes over the reins. First, he says the school must do a better job of preparing students not only how to do research, but also how to teach. And second, the dean must help the graduate school adapt to modes of interdisciplinary research.

“The areas of research, scholarship, and training are changing and don’t necessarily map precisely onto our current structure,” Ellison says.

Some professors have also said that administrators were looking to appoint a woman to the post in light of recent criticisms of the dearth of tenure offers to women under Summers’ presidency.

“It’s possible” that Skocpol’s gender played a part in the decision, Sociology Department Chair Mary C. Waters says. “There’s been a lot of pressure to begin having some more women deans around here, so I’m sure that was one thing considered” in choosing Skocpol, she says.

While Skocpol settles into the post next year and begins to confront these problems, Ellison says he plans to take a sabbatical.

“I have a book [I am writing] that I’d like to catch up on, and five years of my field to catch up on,” he says.

After his sabbatical, Ellison, who is also the Cowles Professor of Anthropology, plans to return to Harvard to teach.

—Staff writer William C. Marra can be reached at wmarra@fas.harvard.edu.