Six new trustees join board at its meeting this past weekend

Though President Shapiro's announcement of his resignation was the paramount event of this month's University Board of Trustees meeting, the board also installed six new members and held committee meetings to discuss its goals for the year.

"The announcement by President Shapiro sort of overshadowed everything else," said Vice President and Secretary Thomas Wright '62, who is also secretary of the board.

Wright said he is optimistic about the six new trustees, who include former USG president Spencer Merriweather '00 and e-Bay CEO Meg Whitman '77. "It's a wonderful group. We always lose very strong and experienced trustees each year, and then we are excited and encouraged by the new members that join the board," he said.

Board of trustees president Robert Rawson '66 said the main purpose of the opening meeting is to outline agendas for the year. "In our September meeting we don't do much more than tee up the ball for the matters that we will be discussing for the rest of the year," he said. "All of our committees had an initial meeting of the year, but no decisions were taken on anything," he said.

Though Rawson downplayed the meeting's significance, Wright said the trustees planned to address several key issues this year, including preparing for the sixth residential college necessitated by the planned 500-student expansion, monitoring the Frist Campus Center and the trustee alcohol initiative and managing the endowment "prudently," Wright said.

Janet Clarke '75, chairman of the committee on University resources, said her committee discussed the June 30 completion of the five-year anniversary campaign, which raised $1.1 billion for the University and surpassed its initial goal of $750 million.

Clarke said she was pleased with the effort, which attracted contributions from 59,000 alumni. "I think it's a very significant milestone for Princeton," she said. "It's a phenomenal effort on a lot of people's parts, but I have to say under the leadership of Harold Shapiro, it is a real tribute to his leadership. So many new things have come to campus as a result of his efforts."

Robert Murley '72, chairman of the finance committee, said the endowment performed strongly last year. "I think our expectation is it'll be one of the finest investment performances we've ever had," he said, adding that this year the committee will consider the "whole host of issues" that arise after a campaign.

At the end of the board meeting Friday, both Shapiro and his wife, Vivian, addressed the board. "Never in my 28 years has that happened," Wright said.

"She expressed her gratitude and appreciation for all the support and help that she had received over the years, her affection for Princeton students and Princeton faculty," he said. "It was a very emotional and very wonderful talk she gave."

Trustee Nancy Newman '78 said most of the board was surprised by Shapiro's "well-kept secret" of his resignation.

"We were all very surprised, and I think all of us are disappointed because we think he is wonderful and has done a fabulous job," she said, adding, "You can't blame him either. What a ripe time to be leaving — he's absolutely at the top of his game, and he has set Princeton on a course that is absolutely fabulous."

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Newman said that considering the successful University presidents who have been chosen in the past — naming former presidents Robert Goheen '40 and William Bowen GS '58 — she is confident the University will find a favorable replacement for Shapiro.