Ruth Simmons Resigning: Brown President To Step Down At End Of Year

Brown president Ruth Simmons plans to step down at the end of the academic year. She announced her resignation plans in an university-wide email on Thursday.

Simmons served at the university's helm for 11 years. While her term as president ends in June 2012, she will remain a professor of comparative literature and Africana studies.

“I recently decided that this is the ideal time both for Brown and for me personally to begin the process of transitioning to new leadership," she said in the email.

Simmons was the first black president to reside over an Ivy League school, as well as Brown's first female president. In 1995, she became the first black female president of a major college or university when she took the reins at Smith College.

According to a press release, Brown will immediately begin a search for her replacement.

Her replacement will have some big shoes to fill. A 2009 poll found she had an 80% approval rating among students.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story stated that Simmons was the first female president of a major college, without specifying that she was the first black woman. The omission has been corrected.

Comments

[Joe Wells]

09:57 PM on 09/16/2011

I remember this woman very WELL, when she started at Smith there was this long line of people waiting to greet her as she got to the end of the line with four BLACKS waiting to meet her, she all of sudden she got drymouth had to get somthing to drink, but never missed a beat until she got shake that last WHITE hand! She dis those four BLACKS and headed for the punch bucket. Sister you got time suck down all the Kool-aid NOW, enjoy your retirement.

[Fahira]

10:33 PM on 09/16/2011

What? LOL

[KeKeMichel1]

06:30 PM on 09/16/2011

80% approval rating throughout 11 years is excellent. She will still be a professor. What a dedicated educator. However, I want women to realize their worth beyond their professional occupation, in their senior years.

We tend to get infused with our professional occupations, that we find it difficult and sometime impossible to identify with other ways of occupying. Life is about "occupation," how we spend our time, what roles we occupy. Who would such a woman be and what would such a woman do for occupation outside of education. However, it is true, everyone is an educator, so she will still be one, except in a less professional way.

As women, we have to know when we have made our mark, and learn how to let go, move onward with knowing we did a job well done. It's the same thing with parenting--we teach them, and move on to another aspect of that role, e.g. friend, collaborator, as well as mother. But the parenting, is over. But, how do we let go of something we love so much. We do it freely.

[Crystal McCree]

05:48 PM on 09/16/2011

Hope she enjoys lowering her responsibilities. I've only heard good things about her presidency at Brown. Blessings!

[Sandy Rosenthal]

03:21 PM on 09/16/2011

Ruth Simmons was acting president while my daughter attended Brown University from 2001 - 2005. After reading more about the popular president of Brown, I now see why my daughter adored her.

[yetiwatcher]

01:42 PM on 09/16/2011

hmm, 6 months ago Brown said Simmons wasn't going anywhere,
it can get a bit hot under the spot light:
http://www.browndailyherald.com/no-plans-for-simmons-to-step-down-1.2513684#.TnOJvuwSX9o
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E01EFDA143DF932A3575BC0A9669D8B63&scp=6&sq=ruth+simmons&st=nyt
I do believe that 2009 poll was conducted before her long time seat on GS's board was widely known. Misleading to say the least.

[gposner29]

12:19 AM on 09/16/2011

I thought the first black woman was Moms Mabley?

[Crystal McCree]

05:45 PM on 09/16/2011

your joke is dead on arrival.

[gposner29]

08:36 PM on 09/16/2011

You're in the "minority"....which doesn't shock me in the least.

[juana72]

12:01 AM on 09/19/2011

No it was Mrs POSNER

[ricchh]

10:28 PM on 09/15/2011

Is this resignation going to be called racist too by the media?

[yetiwatcher]

01:40 PM on 09/16/2011

maybe, but only b/c they might not want to talk so much about the real issue:
economic class
http://www.projo.com/news/content/SIMMONS_RESIGNS_GOLDMAN_BOARD_02-16-10_7RHFEG_v14.3a6c265.html

[Reikoku Jaken]

06:56 PM on 09/15/2011

Big shoes to fill indeed. Enjoy the peace and quiet Ruth.

[hang319]

05:26 PM on 09/15/2011

Sign the petition and then pass it along to your friends:

http://www­.moveon.or­g/r?r=2637­64&id=3101­9-15163756­-I5JE3ox&t­=2

[tqcobb]

05:05 PM on 09/15/2011

hope her transition is as graceful as she is

[jklp]

03:46 PM on 09/15/2011

Ruth Simmons is adored by the students at Brown, and as a parent of a Brown graduate, I believe it will be a huge loss to the University. She is a class act--brilliant, warm, accessible and articulate. Indeed, her presidential shoes will be difficult to fill, but her future students will benefit from her return to the classroom.

[wkingsolomon77]

03:30 PM on 09/15/2011

Now she can come home to Howard University,Morgan State University,Hampton University

[AwShucks]

04:27 PM on 09/15/2011

Why would she ?

She's going to teach at Brown now.

[CraigVale]

05:00 PM on 09/15/2011

The world is her tomato !

[BrwnSknGurl4]

01:37 PM on 09/15/2011

Bummer! Great lady! I wish her well.