Caroline Kennedy, former U.S. ambassador to Japan and daughter of President John F. Kennedy, has resigned unexpectedly as honorary chair of the advisory board of an institute at Harvard University’s Kennedy School. The school confirmed the resignation Wednesday.
The John F. Kennedy School of Government issued a statement commending Kennedy for her service on the Senior Advisory Committee of the Institute of Politics, saying, “Caroline’s role at the Institute of Politics will always be prized and remembered.”
Kenneth M. Duberstein, chairman of the 18-member senior advisory panel, also resigned. Duberstein, a D.C. lobbyist and former chief of staff to President Ronald Reagan, has been close with Kennedy.
The Kennedy School released a statement quoting its dean, Douglas Elmendorf, a former director of the Congressional Budget Office who began his tenure as dean in January 2016:
“Caroline Kennedy is a distinguished public leader with an exemplary record of service to her country. I am extremely grateful for the extraordinary dedication and commitment she has shown to Harvard Kennedy School over many years. Caroline’s role at the Institute of Politics will always be prized and remembered. Her commitment to the IOP’s crucial mission of inspiring students to pursue politics and public service has made a tremendous positive difference to the hundreds of Harvard College students who participate in the IOP each year and to the members of the IOP staff.
“Ken Duberstein has served the Institute of Politics with exceptional dedication for many years. We greatly appreciate his absolute commitment to encouraging students to enter public life and for his tireless efforts to strengthen the IOP to support and inspire those students.”
The statement did not address the reasons for the departures of Kennedy and Duberstein.
Several people with direct knowledge of the events, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly, said there had been tension between Kennedy and Elmendorf. The people said Kennedy and her allies on the committee felt that Elmendorf was not collaborative and micromanaged the institute’s affairs. Kennedy sent a letter to the school recently announcing her resignation.
Two other people at Harvard with direct knowledge of what happened said the conflict was sparked by some members of the Senior Advisory Committee seeking to be directly involved in — and sometimes inserting themselves into — the management of the Institute of Politics. The committee had long been more active in the institute’s operation than advisers at the Kennedy School’s other institutes. That caused tension over how much management power the commission should have, said the people with knowledge, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue and because it involves personnel.
Kennedy, whose family largely funds the Institute of Politics through an endowment established in 1966, could not be reached for comment. Rep. Joe Kennedy (D-Mass.), the grandnephew of John F. Kennedy and Caroline Kennedy’s cousin, is a member of the advisory committee. He could not be reached for comment but remains on the panel.
Duberstein said in a statement that he joined the Institute of Politics at the request of the late senator Edward M. Kennedy, brother of the slain president. He said:
“After careful consideration and heartfelt conversations with Caroline, I have decided to step down immediately as Chairman of the SAC of our beloved Institute of Politics.
“Ted Kennedy asked me to serve on the SAC approximately 25 years ago because he knew of my commitment to inspire young men and women to make public service a major priority. That is the fundamental mission of the IOP which the Kennedy family envisioned.
“Working side by side with Senator Kennedy, John Junior and with Caroline has been a rare privilege and high honor. ... I hope the next chairman continues to guard jealously the sacred role the IOP plays for undergrads at Harvard.
“We must keep the dream alive for our students who aspire to politics and public service.”
Harvard President Lawrence Bacow’s office said the Kennedy School should respond to queries.
Officials at the Institute of Politics, led by executive director Mark Gearan, did not respond to queries.
The Kennedy family has been involved in the Institute of Politics since it was established some 50 years ago as a living memorial to John F. Kennedy, who attended Harvard and whose family is a Massachusetts institution. It is unusual because, while it resides within a graduate school, it focuses on educating undergraduates.
The Kennedy School was previously known as the Graduate School of Public Administration. The name was changed to honor John F. Kennedy in 1966, three years after his assassination.