As dean, Carnesale was known for his role inlinking Kennedy School programs to the rest of theUniversity. And unlike Green. who had never heldan administrative post higher than chair of theeconomics department, Carnesale had a reputationas a savvy administrator.
Carnesale, who was reported to have Green's jobunofficially in hand within 24 hours of theannouncement of the provost's departure, wastapped quickly. So quickly in fact that speed ofthe provost search served to discredit further thesluggish attempts to fill the two vicepresidencies.
The search for a vice president for finance isnow in its tenth month. For now, the University isrunning the capital campaign without a permanentfinancial officer.
Corlette served in an acting role after VicePresident for Government, Community and PublicAffairs John H. Shattuck left for a job in theState Department early in 1993.
The length of this search combined withperiodic false alarms of a replacement, stronglysuggested that Harvard had been turned down by itstop choices. But on May 20, Rudenstine named JamesH. Rowe '73, a Washington- based vice presidentfor NBC, to the pst, effective July 1.
"I think we're looking forward to havingsomebody finally at the helm and getting on withit," Corlette said.
While she gushed about the importance of theRowe appointment after it was made, Corlette haddownplayed the significant of the empty jobs inMassachusetts Hall for months.
In one memorable attempt to de emphasize thevacancies, Corlette compared the situation inMasachusetts Hall to the constant turmoil andturnover in leadership during some periods inFrench history. There was no need to worry aboutchanges at the top because Harvard, like France,has strong middle-level bureaucrats running theUniversity from below.
"I don't think of its as a void," Corlettesaid," because there's such a huge staffunderneath."
Using substantially less metaphor, Rudenstinealso said the number of vacancies paled incomparison to the nine administrative appointmentshe confronted after he took the job in 1991.
"When there are two gaps out of something like38 at an institution of this size it may look likelarge gaps, and certainly there are gaps and Iwill fill them, " the president said.
But the biggest gap facing Rudenstine may bethe growing distance between his initial vision ofa harmonious, integrated University and theadministrative disarray that surrounds him in thepresent.