It finally came down today, at Harvard. The galloping criticism that climaxed with feigned fainting spells over Larry Summers thoughts on the underrepresentation of women in science has resulted in a "no confidence" vote by the faculty of arts and science. - - - - - - - - - - - Harvard Leader Loses No-Confidence Vote By JUSTIN POPE, AP Education Writer CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Harvard's Faculty of Arts and Sciences passed a no-confidence vote against President Lawrence Summers on Tuesday, the latest setback for the embattled university leader who has come under fire for his managerial style and comments on women in science. The vote, 218-185, was largely symbolic. The faculty group is one of 10 that comprise the university, and Summers reports to the Harvard Corporation, the university's governing board, which has expressed its support for him. The unexpected passage of the vote was nonetheless a significant setback to Summers' efforts to rebuild his standing with Harvard's faculty in the wake of the uproar over his comments about women in science at an academic conference in January. The measure stated simply: "The Faculty lacks confidence in the leadership of Lawrence H. Summers." The faculty group also passed a milder rebuke of Summers' comments and "managerial approach" — expressing support for the president in addressing the issues. That measure passed 253-187.
Crimson details... INTERESTING DEATILS EMERGE FROM Harvard Crimson's REPORT: Faculty members debated Matory’s [no confidence] motion further before voting on it by secret ballot at 5:12 p.m. While the votes were counted, Skocpol presented her motion [dissenting from Summer's leadership] and the Faculty debated it, focusing on whether Summers’ critics were stifling academic freedom and submitting to political correctness. As the meeting approached its close, the result of Matory’s motion was announced. Summers was stoic as the FAS docket committee began to read the numbers, but his expression changed to one of surprise and disappointment once the results had been announced. Faculty also seemed startled, as the room erupted into a series of private conversations. - - - - - - - - What's interesting is that there was surprise that the no confidence motion passed, first - and second, that debate revealed awareness of the larger issues - PC and the stifling of intellectual debate. But who among them have read Kors and Silverglate? -Orson
