I remember the story as Summers demanded that West teach more/rap less (as in spending academic time making rap records...)
Well it was multiple issues, as reported vaguely through rumors started by West through his pals. I don’t think West or Summers ever commented directly on the matter, that I saw anyway.
Summers had a meeting with West in which he challenged West to do more and better academic work (i.e., write a “major book” etc.). West’s written academic output was rather fluffy (politically correct left-wing b.s.) and he had not done anything like the level of what is usually required before one is given the illustrious “University Professor” title at Harvard (which, at the time, was limited to under 20 profs out of 1,000 or so in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences).
Yes, Summers reportedly criticized the involvement of West with the Al Sharpton “presidential campaign” ... joke that it was. Summers did not consider that a worthy activity for one of Harvard’s allegedly top professors.
West had been appointed by the predecessor of Summers. Even though Summers is a liberal Democrat, he was concerned that West was something of an embarrassment to Harvard academic standards. Of course, that is exactly what West heard/sensed from Summers, I’m sure it was not too subtle. But rather than accept the challenge and raise his game, West decided to play the “racial grievance card” and storm out of Harvard complaining about Summers.
But as far as your question, yes, loose grading standards by West were also part of the discussion, as reported at the time. Summer was trying to appeal West rationally to improve, but West took major offense... after all, he had been allowed to coast his whole career with low academic and intellectual standards, who the hell was Summers to tell him that was not good enough now???