The president of Harvard University is the chief administrator of Harvard University and the ex officio president of the Harvard Corporation.Central Administration Governance of the University, from Office of the Provost Each is appointed by and is responsible to the other members of that body, who delegate to the president the day-to-day running of the university.
Originally the President of Harvard College, the post-holder's title changed in 1780, when the Constitution of Massachusetts recognized Harvard College as a university.
Harvard's current president is Alan Garber, who took office on January 2, 2024, following the resignation of Claudine Gay. In December 2025, the Harvard Corporation announced his term would be extended indefinitely.
Role The president plays an important part in university-wide planning and strategy. Each names a faculty's dean (and, since the foundation of the office in 1994, the university's provost), and grants tenure to recommended professors. However, the president is expected to make such decisions after extensive consultation with faculty members.
Recently, however, the job has become increasingly administrative, especially as fund-raising campaigns have taken on central importance in large institutions such as Harvard. Some have criticized this trend to the extent it has prevented the president from focusing on substantive issues in higher education.
Each president is professor in some department of the university and teaches from time to time.
The university maintains an official residence for the president's use, which from 1912 until 1971, was President's House, and since then has been Elmwood.
Influence
Harvard presidents have traditionally influenced educational practices nationwide. Charles W. Eliot, for example, originated America's familiar system of a smorgasbord of elective courses available to each student; James B. Conant worked to introduce standardized testing; Derek Bok and Neil L. Rudenstine argued for the continued importance of diversity in higher education.
History At Harvard's founding it was headed by a "schoolmaster", Nathaniel Eaton. In 1640, when Henry Dunster was brought in, he adopted the title of president. Since Harvard was founded for the training of Puritan clergy, and even though its mission was soon broadened, nearly all presidents through the end of the 18th century were in holy orders.
All presidents from Leonard Hoar in 1672 through Nathan Pusey in 1971 were graduates of Harvard College. Of the presidents since Pusey, nearly all earned a graduate degree at Harvard. The only exception has been Drew Gilpin Faust, who was the first president since the seventeenth century with no earned Harvard degree.
Presidents of Harvard The following persons have served as president of Harvard University:
+ImagePresidentsTerm startTerm endLengthHeadmaster of the New College (1637–1639) –16371639Presidents of Harvard College (1639–1780)1August 27, 1640October 24, 16542November 2, 1654February 19, 16723December 10, 1672March 15, 1675actingApril 7, 1675February 2, 16804February 2, 1680July 25, 16815April 10, 1682July 12, 1684actingJune 11, 1685June 23, 1686rectorJune 23, 1686June 27, 16926June 27, 1692June 29, 1701 actingSeptember 6, 1701September 12, 17077January 14, 1708May 3, 17248July 7, 1725March 16, 1737917371769acting17691769 10May 21, 1770December 1, 1773acting1773177411July 18, 1774August 30, 1780Presidents of Harvard University (1780–present)acting1780178112September 5, 1781September 25, 1804 acting1804180613May 6, 1806July 17, 1810acting1810181014November 14, 1810April 2, 1828acting1828182915January 29, 1829August 27, 184516February 5, 1846February 1, 184817February 1, 1849February 10, 185318February 10, 1853January 26, 186019February 16, 1860February 26, 1862acting1862186220October 6, 1862September 30, 1868acting1868186921March 12, 1869May 19, 1909actingHenry Pickering Walcott190019011905190522May 19, 1909June 21, 1933231933195324June 1, 1953June 30, 197125July 1, 1971June 30, 1991actingHenry Rosovsky198419841987198726July 1, 1991June 30, 2001actingAlbert CarnesaleNovember 29, 1994February 199527July 1, 2001June 30, 2006YUNews Director of the National Economic Council, Dr. Lawrence H. Summers, is Keynote Speaker at Yeshiva University's Annual Hanukkah Dinner and Convocation on December 13, November 18, 2009The Harvard Crimson Harvard's First Jewish President, March 8, 2006The Harvard Crimson Did Summers' Faith Affect His Fall?, March 3, 2006interimJuly 1, 2006June 30, 200728July 1, 2007June 30, 201829 July 1, 2018June 30, 202330 July 1, 2023January 2, 2024interimJanuary 2, 2024August 2, 202431August 2, 2024present
Table notes:
Timeline of Harvard University presidential terms
References
External links Official Website History of the Presidency