Admirers praise Harvard leader’s character, achievements
Members of the Harvard community and beyond reacted Thursday to Harvard President Drew Faust’s announcement that she will step down next year by recalling her decade of accomplishments, which they said included unifying Harvard, guiding it through the financial crisis, increasing its diversity and inclusivity, and being a forceful champion for higher education. In citing her accomplishments, most speakers also mentioned the characteristics she brought to every challenge: integrity, honesty, and compassion. “President Faust has excelled as a leader across all domains, from the intellectual and the organizational to the ethical and the human. … Most importantly, she is a model of integrity who exemplifies and stewards organizational values of honesty, responsibility, empathy, and public service,” said Danielle Allen, the James Bryant Conant University Professor at Harvard, professor of government and education, and director of the Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics. “I’ll miss having her in this role but heartily welcome her...