Reached through an assistant, Rudenstine declined to comment for this article.

Chief among the issues complicating Harvard’s relationship with the Mayor was the reality that, without his blessing, Harvard’s ability to develop meaningfully in Allston was severely, if not completely, compromised. Specifically, Harvard could not proceed with any building plans without first obtaining occupancy permits from the city, a process heavily influenced by the Mayor.

The stalled relationship underwent a healthy reboot in 2001 when Summers replaced Rudenstine in Massachusetts Hall. While Rudenstine had spent his entire career in the academy, Summers had been involved in politics, serving as President Bill Clinton’s Treasury Secretary prior to assuming the Harvard presidency. Within a day of his appointment, Summers visited Menino, bringing a more cooperative tone to discussions between Boston and Harvard.

“Because the property he was buying was in the city of Boston, [Larry Summers] had to be sure there was a relationship,” said Menino. “He started right off on the right foot by meeting with us, talking about his plans and how we wanted to work together.”

After their first conference, a friendship quickly developed. Summers and Menino agreed that Harvard and Boston held a number of mutual interests, including a desire for an open dialogue about Allston and improved educational innovation and access. They also pledged to communicate frequently and transparently.

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“The Mayor and I kind of agreed that we weren’t going to surprise each other, that if something interesting was going to be in the Boston Globe, we’d let each other know beforehand,” said Summers.

Menino said he believes openness was critical to the relationship’s success. “The thing is, if you communicate with each other, those problems will not be as big a problem as people assume,” he said.

Conversations between Summers and the city, especially regarding Allston, were not without conflict: Harvard returned to the real estate market in 2003, winning a public auction for 91 more acres in Allston. According to Menino, he was not consulted along the way. Still, the dynamic had improved. In 2003, Summers—after consulting with Menino throughout the process—announced the University’s plans for Allston, including a massive new science facility and the relocation of Harvard’s schools of Education and of Public Health.

“You have a new president who inherits the situation, but it allowed everybody to sort of start again,” said David Luberoff, senior project advisor to the Radcliffe Institute’s Boston Area Research Initiative. “That turned out to be a really important turning point in the relationship.”

While Summers is known for his grand vision for Allston, he also set in motion another natural partnership between Harvard and the city in the realm of education—an area that Menino has prioritized throughout his mayorship. In 2002, Harvard and Boston joined forces to revamp after-school programs in Boston’s neighborhoods by awarding $400,000 in grants through the Harvard After School Initiative, an early step in a growing collaboration between Harvard and Boston on education.

UNDER FAUST, GOOD FEELINGS

As the University searched for a leader to replace Summers, Menino was left uncertain.

“When there is a transition of administrations, you never know what the new administrator is going to do,” he said. “We didn’t know how it was going to end up.”

He was reassured in February of 2006 when he met Faust, Harvard’s new president-elect, for breakfast at Parkman House in Boston. Taking a cue from Summers, Faust made an immediate effort to build Harvard’s relationship with Boston at the onset of her presidency.

“I think one of the important parts of having a strong relationship with the city is making sure you build it, and so it was very important for me when I was named President to get to know the Mayor and to build a base of trust,” Faust said.