Harvard Names Conservative Legal Scholar as Permanent Provost

Harvard University on Thursday appointed a conservative legal scholar as provost, the university’s second highest leadership position. The move comes as the university is set to face a new season of student protests against the Israel-Hamas war.

In announcing John F. Manning as the new permanent provost, Harvard’s president, Alan M. Garber, described him as “the right person for the moment in which we find ourselves,” adding that he had demonstrated “both humility and wisdom” in his current role.

Mr. Manning has been the university’s interim provost since March. He and Dr. Garber, who was named president this month, have longstanding ties with Harvard, beginning at the school as undergraduates. Their appointments appear to be an attempt at stability after the university’s first Black president, Claudine Gay, resigned in January, after heavy criticism for her handling of pro-Palestinian protests and accusations of antisemitism on campus.

Friends and colleagues say Mr. Manning is known for his diplomatic temperament. Before the interim role, Mr. Manning was the dean of Harvard Law School, where he earned plaudits for being engaged with students. As interim provost, he oversaw a working group on “institutional voice,” which led to Harvard’s decision in May that it would avoid taking positions on matters that were not “relevant to the core function of the university.”