CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Harvard University President Lawrence H. Summers apologized late Wednesday for his remarks last week suggesting that innate differences might make women less capable of succeeding at math and science than men, and acknowledged that his comments sent "an unintended signal of discouragement to talented girls and women."
In a letter addressed to "members of the Harvard Community," Summers said: "I deeply regret the impact of my comments and apologize for not having weighed them more carefully."
The latest letter followed a terse statement posted on Summers' website in which he said his remarks in a speech Friday had been "misconstrued" to imply that women could not succeed in advanced math and science. Summers also sent a letter Wednesday to members of Harvard's Faculty of Arts and Sciences Standing Committee on Women in reply to a letter the group sent Summers voicing concern about his remarks here to the National Bureau of Economic Research.
In contrast to his earlier statements, Summers' letter to the Harvard community seemed contrite: "I have learned a great deal from all that I have heard in the last few days," he wrote. "The many compelling e-mails and calls that I have received have made vivid the very real barriers faced by women in pursuing scientific and other academic careers."
But the university president's acknowledgment of the effect of his speech to the nonprofit group's economics conference came amid rising anger among some students and faculty members -- especially women.
"Apology or no apology, a lot of damage has been done by reinforcing these stereotypes," said economics professor Caroline M. Hoxby, a member of the committee on women who has been at Harvard for about 11 years.
Summers has declined to elaborate on his address, in which he also contended, according to published reports, that women might be less inclined to advance to top levels in science because they were unwilling to work long, grueling hours once they had children.
Summers spoke from notes, not a prepared speech. Although his remarks were taped, no transcript of the speech was made available. Summers declined interview requests.
His address so offended MIT biologist Nancy Hopkins that she left the conference, later telling the Harvard Crimson newspaper that Summers' remarks had made her feel ill.
