1983 brought Harper the academic recognition earned with more than 20 years of teaching: he was appointed the Israel J. Kapstein Professor of English at Brown University. Interviewed at the time, Harper said the chair "brings a greater responsibility on my part to be a good teacher because Kappy was a great teacher. And I have a greater responsibility to remain an artist and to use the time that I have well and to nourish myself to keep the creative juices flowing."