Larry Summers Criticizes Suit-wearing Students

[IUtoSLU]



i think that he really said that about them because they have turned into true assholes!!!

Porc club = enough explanation as to why they are the way they are.

 

[mensimageconsultant]

Does The Social Network give the impression that, as students, the Winklevoss twins usually dressed in suits? By the way, the actual brothers' suits don't seem to fit well.

 

[cerfvolant]



Before the president of Harvard and coming from the background the Winklevosses do, I think it's ridiculous for Summers to criticize the twins. I, and no one else I know at my school, have ever met with our president dressed in anything less than coat and tie. It might be affected if done without cause day to day, but in this context, I think the Winklevosses are in the right. Maybe in the modern era's more diverse, liberal Harvard, button ups and khakis might be appropriate as well, but there is certainly nothing wrong with meeting the Harvard president as the Winklevosses did.

+1. Criticising a former student of the university you teach in, in public, is a bit unnecessary to say the least.

"One of the things you learn as a college president is that if an undergraduate is wearing a tie and jacket on Thursday afternoon at three o'clock, there are two possibilities. One is that they're looking for a job and have an interview; the other is that they are an a**hole. This was the latter case."

If someone wants to wear a suit, wear a goddamn suit.

And all of this coming from Larry Summers of all people. Ha!

 

[ter1413]



+1. Criticising a former student of the university you teach in, in public, is a bit unnecessary to say the least.

"One of the things you learn as a college president is that if an undergraduate is wearing a tie and jacket on Thursday afternoon at three o'clock, there are two possibilities. One is that they're looking for a job and have an interview; the other is that they are an a**hole. This was the latter case."

If someone wants to wear a suit, wear a goddamn suit.

But they ARE assholes!!

 

[JayJay]



+1. Criticising a former student of the university you teach in, in public, is a bit unnecessary to say the least.

+2

 

[CouttsClient]

They responded to the comment via a letter to the current President at Harvard:

WSJ link

Dear President Faust,

We (Cameron Winklevoss '04, Divya Narendra '04 and Tyler Winklevoss '04) are writing to discuss the recent remarks made by current Charles W. Eliot University Professor of Harvard Lawrence H. Summers at Fortune's "Brainstorm Tech Conference" on July 19, 2011. Specifically, Mr. Summers referred to us as "a-–" for wearing ties and jackets to our meeting with him in April of 2004. To be clear, his remark was not limited to us, but extends to any undergraduate who chooses a particular form of attire.

As a matter of background, on March 15, 2004 we petitioned the Administrative Board (Ad Board) of Harvard regarding a disciplinary issue concerning Mark Zuckerberg '06-'07 in connection with the development of a website the four of us had been working on together. Despite what was, from our perspective, a clear violation of the Student Handbook, which states "all students will be honest and forthcoming in their dealings with members of [the Harvard] community," the Ad Board declined to involve itself. As students of a university that promulgated an expectation of "intellectual honest[y] [and] respect for the dignity of others," we sought a discussion with then President Summers regarding what we believed to be an inconsistency in the University's posture on this matter.

As a result, we decided to attend student office hours of the President, a two hour monthly block of time specifically allotted by President Summers for students to discuss any and all matters of concern with him. We sent a polite and rather un-swaggering email beforehand for the purposes of background (please see attached). It should be noted that Mr. Zuckerberg's name was purposely omitted from our email in an effort to focus the discussion on what we perceived to be a larger issue than the incident specific to ourselves. Simply put, we went to his office seeking advice and mentorship, not further conflict.

At office hours, we waited in his reception area but were told that we would have to return next month because there were more students in the queue than time allowed In April of 2004, we returned to office hours and were successful in meeting with President Summers. His manner was not inconsistent with his reputation and present day admissions of being tactfully challenged. It was not his failure to shake hands with the three of us upon entering his office (doing so would have required him to take his feet off his desk and stand up from his chair), nor his tenor that was most alarming, but rather his scorn for a genuine discourse on deeper ethical questions, Harvard's Honor Code, and its applicability or lack thereof.

We now further understand why our meeting was less than productive; someone who does not value ethics with respect to his own conduct, would likely have little interest in this subject as it related to the conduct of others. Perhaps there is a ‘variability of aptitude' for decency and professionalism among university faculty.

Regardless, it is deeply disturbing that a professor of this university openly admits to making character judgments of students based on their appearance. It goes without saying that every student should feel free to bring issues forward, dress how they see fit, or express themselves without fear of prejudice or public disparagement from a fellow member of the community, much less so from a faculty member.

Ironically, our choice of attire that day was made out of respect and deference to the office of the President. As the current President, we respectfully ask for you to address this unprecedented betrayal of the unique relationship between teacher and student. We look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Cameron Winklevoss '04 Divya Narendra '04 Tyler Winklevoss '04

 

[chevron]

Yeah Larry, I wonder why a 6'5", Harvard educated, handsome, multimillionaire Olympian in his mid 20s would have "such swagger".

 

[Another New Yorker]



They responded to the comment via a letter to the current President at Harvard:

WSJ link

Dear President Faust,

We (Cameron Winklevoss '04, Divya Narendra '04 and Tyler Winklevoss '04) are writing to discuss the recent remarks made by current Charles W. Eliot University Professor of Harvard Lawrence H. Summers at Fortune's "Brainstorm Tech Conference" on July 19, 2011. Specifically, Mr. Summers referred to us as "a-–" for wearing ties and jackets to our meeting with him in April of 2004. To be clear, his remark was not limited to us, but extends to any undergraduate who chooses a particular form of attire.

As a matter of background, on March 15, 2004 we petitioned the Administrative Board (Ad Board) of Harvard regarding a disciplinary issue concerning Mark Zuckerberg '06-'07 in connection with the development of a website the four of us had been working on together. Despite what was, from our perspective, a clear violation of the Student Handbook, which states "all students will be honest and forthcoming in their dealings with members of [the Harvard] community," the Ad Board declined to involve itself. As students of a university that promulgated an expectation of "intellectual honest[y] [and] respect for the dignity of others," we sought a discussion with then President Summers regarding what we believed to be an inconsistency in the University's posture on this matter.

As a result, we decided to attend student office hours of the President, a two hour monthly block of time specifically allotted by President Summers for students to discuss any and all matters of concern with him. We sent a polite and rather un-swaggering email beforehand for the purposes of background (please see attached). It should be noted that Mr. Zuckerberg's name was purposely omitted from our email in an effort to focus the discussion on what we perceived to be a larger issue than the incident specific to ourselves. Simply put, we went to his office seeking advice and mentorship, not further conflict.

At office hours, we waited in his reception area but were told that we would have to return next month because there were more students in the queue than time allowed In April of 2004, we returned to office hours and were successful in meeting with President Summers. His manner was not inconsistent with his reputation and present day admissions of being tactfully challenged. It was not his failure to shake hands with the three of us upon entering his office (doing so would have required him to take his feet off his desk and stand up from his chair), nor his tenor that was most alarming, but rather his scorn for a genuine discourse on deeper ethical questions, Harvard's Honor Code, and its applicability or lack thereof.

We now further understand why our meeting was less than productive; someone who does not value ethics with respect to his own conduct, would likely have little interest in this subject as it related to the conduct of others. Perhaps there is a ‘variability of aptitude' for decency and professionalism among university faculty.

Regardless, it is deeply disturbing that a professor of this university openly admits to making character judgments of students based on their appearance. It goes without saying that every student should feel free to bring issues forward, dress how they see fit, or express themselves without fear of prejudice or public disparagement from a fellow member of the community, much less so from a faculty member.

Ironically, our choice of attire that day was made out of respect and deference to the office of the President. As the current President, we respectfully ask for you to address this unprecedented betrayal of the unique relationship between teacher and student. We look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Cameron Winklevoss '04 Divya Narendra '04 Tyler Winklevoss '04

A good letter--I'm surprised as porc club members, they opted to go the "everyone should be allowed to dress however they want" route rather than the "Gentlemen know how to dress well for the occasion" route, but I guess this is more public friendly.

 

[Amelorn]



Before the president of Harvard and coming from the background the Winklevosses do, I think it's ridiculous for Summers to criticize the twins. I, and no one else I know at my school, have ever met with our president dressed in anything less than coat and tie. It might be affected if done without cause day to day, but in this context, I think the Winklevosses are in the right. Maybe in the modern era's more diverse, liberal Harvard, button ups and khakis might be appropriate as well, but there is certainly nothing wrong with meeting the Harvard president as the Winklevosses did.

Where have you been for the last 40 years? Pajamas, jeans, and old t-shirts are the uniform from Harvard right on down to *** Dumpster U. That said, I do agree with you on dress/decorum when meeting a university president on "official" business.

 

[Another New Yorker]



Where have you been for the last 40 years? Pajamas, jeans, and old t-shirts are the uniform from Harvard right on down to *** Dumpster U. That said, I do agree with you on dress/decorum when meeting a university president on "official" business.

Not in the South, hahaha.

The final clubs are a step above that dress wise.

 

[sellahi22]



Before the president of Harvard and coming from the background the Winklevosses do, I think it's ridiculous for Summers to criticize the twins. I, and no one else I know at my school, have ever met with our president dressed in anything less than coat and tie. It might be affected if done without cause day to day, but in this context, I think the Winklevosses are in the right. Maybe in the modern era's more diverse, liberal Harvard, button ups and khakis might be appropriate as well, but there is certainly nothing wrong with meeting the Harvard president as the Winklevosses did.

You sound like the type of asshole that Summers was talking about

 

[NorCal]



You sound like the type of asshole that Summers was talking about

plus one, and anyone named Winklevoss is an asshole, full stop.

 

[mensimageconsultant]

There's a lesson people could take from this, if, for example, they're "too good-looking:
Know one's audience, and avoid what's considered flashy for one's age or circumstances.

For example, the twins could have worn sportcoats, light blue OCBD's, and dress pants. Friendlier, less "swagger." Summers probably felt resentment at being outdressed by privileged "kids."

 

[Amelorn]



There's a lesson people could take from this, if, for example, they're "too good-looking:
Know one's audience, and avoid what's considered flashy for one's age or circumstances.

For example, the twins could have worn sportcoats, light blue OCBD's, and dress pants. Friendlier, less "swagger." Summers probably felt resentment at being outdressed by privileged "kids."

There are two sides to a coin. That's a valid side of it. On the other side, a former Chief Economist of the World Bank and Secretary to the Treasury from a family of nobel laureates should not feel threatened by a pair of 20 year olds in suits. Edit: Unless of course I am misinterpreting "feeling threatened" for contempt towards perceived pomposity.

 

[Harold falcon]



plus one, and anyone named Winklevoss is an asshole, full stop.

Are you basing this on personal knowledge of these individuals or just the movie's portrayal of them?

Because Facebook is a paradigm clearly designed by an asshole. Only a total effing ASSHOLE would inflict Farmville and MobWars on innocent human beings, and I don't believe those gentlemen had anything to do with those travesties.