Universities Weblog

Call it damage control. Call it a sincere gesture. Call it a PR ploy. However you slice it, it's still $50 million.

That's how much Harvard will commit over the next decade to promote gender equity in the sciences. Following the advice of his appointed task force, Harvard president Larry Summers will dedicate those funds to mentoring, advising, child care (!) and faculty recruitment.

"Universities like Harvard were designed a long time ago, in many respects, by men and for men," said Summers (as quoted in an AP story). "To fully succeed on these issues we're going to have to address issues of culture."

Will this be enough to quell the ire of Summers' detractors? Maybe for now, but rest assured that Larry will soon speak his mind again, and the results could be similar. His presidency may wind up costing Harvard plenty.

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