Just one day before he was to take over as the trustees' unanimous choice to lead Boston University, Daniel S. Goldin, the former NASA administrator, agreed to walk away from the presidency of the nation's fourth-largest private university for a reported payment of $1.8 million. The university, whose officials only weeks ago hailed Mr. Goldin as a visionary leader, and Mr. Goldin, who had invited the entire faculty to his inauguration on Nov. 17, "terminated their contract and have mutually decided to part company," according to a statement released by Mr. Goldin and the university. University officials would not say...