Tilghman defends women appointees

President Tilghman expressed surprise and disappointment yesterday that the undergraduate women of Princeton did not "rise up and reject" accusations that she gave special consideration to female candidates for four senior administrative positions.

Three of the female administrators — Provost Amy Gutmann, Wilson School Dean Anne-Marie Slaughter '80 and Dean of the College Nancy Malkiel — joined Tilghman in a panel discussion, sponsored by the Organization of Women Leaders, called "Women in the Ivory Tower: Gender, Power, and Politics at Princeton."

"It was a great surprise to me [that I was accused] of being biased in favor of women," said Tilghman, who took particular offense at allegations of bias in her selection of new Admissions Dean Janet Rapelye. "That implies that it seems difficult to imagine that a woman could be the best candidate in the applicant pool," she added. "When 47 percent of the student body is [made up of] women, how could anyone be under any misconception that there wouldn't be extremely talented women in the [applicant] pool?"

OWL hosted the discussion because of concerns that many students questioned Tilghman's appointments.

"The members of OWL, in meeting after meeting, expressed disbelief that so many students could call into question the legitimacy of the appointments and the qualifications of the women being selected," said Katherine Reilly '05, OWL chair.

Judging from public reactions, Malkiel said, "It's as though Tilghman became president, and suddenly women appeared in senior administration. In the last 30 years, in 15 of those years, a woman has held the position of dean of students. For more than 25 of those years, a woman has been dean of the college."

Malkiel recalled interviewing for a position in Princeton's history department in fall 1968 before the University decided to accept women students the following year.

She said the chair of the department, Lawrence Stone, told her, "It's not that we had a policy against hiring women. It's that no one ever thought of it before."

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Princeton "simply needed to do what Stone had suggested — consider that women could hold high positions," Malkiel said.

Gutmann tried to answer the question, "What difference do the appointments make?"

The difference, she said, "isn't as much of a difference as people think. That's one of the reasons it's important to have women in positions of authority. It's the only way we can show that we are the same species."

Tilghman also stressed the seven male appointments she has made during her time as president. While her female appointments have become topics of public scrunity, "no one has questioned any of the male appointments I have made.

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"I am really proud of all the people I have appointed," Tilghman continued, "and I challenge anybody who says that they were not in fact the very best person to apply for the job."