Tilghman named 19th University president

Shirley Tilghman was named the 19th president of Princeton University by the board of trustees in a special meeting held in Nassau Hall this morning.

Tilghman will be the first woman to hold the University's highest office as well as the first president not to hold a degree from Princeton in more than a century.

"It is a deep honor and privilege to be able to serve the University I love so much," Tilghman said during a noon press conference in the Nassau Hall Faculty Room where she was elected by acclamation less than an hour earlier.

"It is time for a woman president," she continued. "And I'm just excited that I have the privilege."

Tilghman will take office on June 15, nearly eight months after President Shapiro announced his intention to resign, University Vice President and Secretary Thomas Wright '62 said.

"I cannot exaggerate how excited I and the board are to have her as our next president," trustee executive committee chair Robert Rawson '66 said. "Sometimes you look far and wide and sometimes the best solution is here at home."

Tilghman has been a member of the University faculty for 15 years, teaching classes from advanced biology to freshman seminars.

Though she has not yet announced goals or an agenda for the coming years, Tilghman said she will spend the beginning of her tenure familiarizing herself with the Princeton community.

"I am going to be for the next six months what I call sponge mode, which is sucking up as much information as I can about the job — and about the parts that I have had less exposure to," Tilghman said in an exclusive interview.

One area Tilghman said she does not expect to spend much time with during the early stages of her presidency is fund raising.

"We are at the end of the most successful capital campaign in our history," Tilghman said. "There will be very little pressure on me to fund raise."

Though she may not pursue fund raising as actively as Shapiro, Tilghman will bring similarly extensive leadership and teaching experience to One Nassau Hall.

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Tilghman may soon face the difficult decisions leadership brings, as changes sweep through the University's campus and administration, but she will have the strong support of the board of trustees.

"We have great respect for her and know she will be able to make the tough decisions," Rawson said. "She has been here for 15 years while most of us are only here for four. She has a feeling of the campus and knows what's best for Princeton."

The 19th president of the University will preside during the implementation of a 500-student increase in the student body, the construction of a new residential college and fund raising in a more difficult economic period.

"We believe Dr. Tilghman will keep us on track," Rawson said. "We have opportunities and challenges that we have to confront. Complacency is not a part of our agenda." Editor's Note: This breaking story was appended to the May 4th issue of The Daily Princetonian's online edition at 2:35 AM on May 6th.