January 4, 2002

John Tierney The Big City column contends that New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's reconfiguration of offices in City Hall to form cubicles may look open but in fact assures that there will be fewer leaks to press because of lack of privacy (M)

New York City transit officials announce that subway line partially destroyed by Sept 11 terror attack will reopen more than one year earlier than anticipated, albeit without ambitious and costly rerouting that was part of original plan; two of three stations will reopen, but one directly under World Trade Center will be demolished and any reconstruction will be part of larger plans for redevelopment of site; rebuilding is expected to be paid for with insurance money and money from Federal Emergency Management Agency; photo of station showing extensive damage after terror attacks (M)

Lawrence H Summers, president of Harvard University, meets and mends fences with Cornel West, senior black professor, apparently ending dispute that threatened to cost university its team of celebrated African-American scholars; several members of Harvard's Afro-American Studies department had threatened to move to Princeton University after what they saw as snubs by Summers and absense of strong statement of his commitment to affirmative action; professors feel Summers insulted West by raising questions about his pursuit of scholarship, grade inflation in his classes and his making rap CD; Summers issues staement expressing his commitment to diversity at Harvard and to strength of Afro-American Studies department; some members of department cringe at how what was bidding war with Princeton over star professors became internationally reported account of racial tension; photo (M)

Isle of Gigha, which its 110 residents bought for $5.8 million in Oct, is leading way to land reform in Scotland; half of Scottish land is in private hands, belonging to just 350 lairds, in feudal system set up in 12th century; residents of Gigha got most of money from National Lottery-financed Scottish Land Fund, and benefited from benevolent laird who turned down several higher bids in belief that islanders should have chance to run their island; members of Scottish Parliament, legislature created in 1999, has set land reform as its principal early objective; photos; map (M)

European Central Bank leaves monetary policy unchanged even though economic outlook for first half of 2002 remains bleak; prospects remain dim despite mostly smooth and successful introduction of new euro coins and bills to replace national currencies in 12 countries this week; central bank president Wim Duisenberg predicts growth in euro zone will be stagnant for next few months (M)