Overseers said they did not just provide a rubber stamp to the search committee's decision. In the end, they said, accepting the choice is a matter of trust in the search committee's judgment.

"This is a consultative process. We are not the search committee. In the end we must trust them," said Overseer Aida Alvarez.

After the entire group dined together, President of the Board of Overseers Sharon E. Gagnon announced the results of the vote, prompting a series of celebratory toasts.

After the meeting, Overseers said they were pleased with the pick.

"Larry is someone who has been part of the Harvard community--he's both an insider and an outsider," Alvarez said. "He'd bring a fresh perspective, without a steep learning curve."

Overseers said they were not surprised or frustrated that many found out the search committee's pick from national news reports, rather than personal phone calls.

"I suspected that it would leak. I wasn't surprised at all," said Overseer Steven A. Schroeder. "It's not a big deal to me. What matters now is how good a job he does."