A. I did not see signs of this, but it is true that in retrospect when I was informed of his decision, then you realized that, yes, he does work awfully, awfully hard, and it's hard to imagine anyone maintaining those hours.

Q. When was the decision made that you would become acting president?

A. That decision, of course, was made by the Harvard Corporation and it was officially made, of course, in terms of the announcement today, effective today. But they came to that decision, I guess yesterday.

Q. Can you talk a little bit about the line of succession? Who's going to be the provost now, and who's going to run the Kennedy School?

A. No, I can't tell you the line of succession, but I know the Speaker of the House is in there some place. What I can tell you is that there is a search going on now for a new dean of the Kennedy School and that search will continue. I've been intimately involved with that with President Rudenstine....

With regard to the provost position, I would expect to be looking for some interim help with those responsibilities.

Q. What about the future of the fundraising drive and will it be continued?

A. Oh, certainly. I've been involved in the Harvard University Campaign as dean of the Kennedy School and as provost. So I will certainly continue to do that....

Q. When was it first brought to the attention of the authorities that there was a problem?

A. This was first brought to my attention Thanksgiving Eve, as his decision, that he was going to take the advice of his doctors.

Q. Where are the diagnostic tests being performed?

I don't know, but they're on an outpatient basis. So, he's at home. I will not pretend to be answering medical questions, but when I say I don't know, I want you to know that I mean that literally....

Q. When you were made provost, did you have any inkling that something like this could occur?

A. No.

Q. How will President Rudenstine's leave affect the decision that was to be made on the ROTC relationship with Harvard?