Mitchell to lead Butler through construction, expansion

English Professor Lee Mitchell recently became master of Butler College and is excited to lead it through the major transformation of the residential college system due to take place during the next few years.

"Butler is unquestionably the best college in the University, and I'm privileged to work with students in an intellectual and social world outside the classroom," he said.

A major task Mitchell will face is successfully transitioning Butler from its two-year underclassmen structure to a four-year college plan. The new system was designed in conjunction with plans for the sixth residential college, Whitman College, which will let the University expand the undergraduate student body by about 500 students.

"One different job I have [from my predecessor] is shifting Butler into a four-year college.," he said. "The idea of residential colleges was one of the great innovations in recent Princeton history, and it's a shame that students lose the experience after their sophomore year. I know many Butler juniors and seniors who would like to stay with the college if they could."

Some facilities that will need to be updated include the dining facility and the dormitories. Currently, Wu dining hall can accommodate all five hundred of the lowerclassmen in Butler, but somehow needs to increase its capacity. The other colleges that will serve as four-year residential colleges are Whitman and Mathey.

Mitchell is succeeding humanities professor Ted Champlin, Butler master since 1995, and said he looks forward to continuing the success of his predecessor.

"I hope I can do half the job Ted Champlin did with Butler. Part of my job is to continue to create a place that allows the students a chance to succeed," Mitchell said.

The job of college master is to serve as figurehead for the residential college as well as to contribute to social and intellectual activities for the students.

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"My duties are somewhat vague. I am the person who is the last in line at Butler and gives a face to it," he said. "We have a very competent Dean and Director of Studies, and in many ways, my job is to try and help them do their jobs. I'm one voice out of many that guides the college," he said.

Mitchell also praised the student leaders in Butler.

"We have a wonderful group of RAs and exceptional college opportunities that will stimulate students intellectually," he said.

Events already planned for Butler residents include a series of four seminars and intramural sports. Though this is Mitchell's first position as a college master, he has served the undergraduate student body in the past as adviser to English majors and freshmen.

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"It's wonderful to meet such a talented group of freshmen, although it's a little daunting that I have to remember 220 names," Mitchell said.

Mitchell continues to serve as a professor in the English department. It is his 28th year at Princeton and he has served as the Chair of the English Department and the American Studies Program. Mitchell teaches courses on 19th and 20th century American fiction, a course on ethics and the cowboy western. He will teach half the classes he usually takes because of his additional responsibilities as master.

"I don't think I would have taken the job if I couldn't continue teaching," he said.