Overseers Confirm Summers As 27th President

Harvard's Board of Overseers confirmed Lawrence H. Summers as the 27th president of Harvard shortly after 2 p.m. today.

In a meeting at the Rainbow Room, a landmark midtown Manhattan restaurant, the Overseers voted unanimously to recommend Summers as the replacement for current president Neil L. Rudenstine.

Some Overseers participated via conference calls from locations around the country.

Immediately after the meeting, Summers and members of the presidential search committee left for Boston where they will hold a press conference to announce the appointment at 5:30 p.m.

"I'm excited and exhilarated and looking forward to the challenges," Summers said as he left the meeting.

Search committee members Sharon E. Gagnon and Hanna H. Gray said that it was an "easy confirmation."

The Crimson confirmed Friday that Harvard's presidential search committee had selected Summers to be Harvard's next president.