By: centraljersey.com
Nancy Weiss Malkiel, the longest-serving dean of the college and the second longest-serving dean in Princeton University’s history, will step down after 24 years of service at the end of this academic year.
"Ms. Malkiel has had an enormously positive impact on undergraduate students at Princeton, by her focus on the quality of the instruction they receive and their experience in the residential colleges," said President Shirley M. Tilghman. "In her 23 years as dean of the college, she has been responsible for many important advancements in the curriculum, and she launched the new four-year college system, which gives upper class students greater residential options, strengthens the connection of all undergraduates to their colleges, and brings undergraduates and graduate students together in residential settings," she added.
Provost Christopher Eisgruber hopes to have a new dean selected by the end of January so that there will be an opportunity for overlap.
Ms. Malkiel’s responsibilities include the admission and financial aid offices.
While current undergraduates may associate Ms. Malkiel most immediately with highly publicized ventures like the new grading policy, the revised pass-D-fail option or the "major choices" initiative, she has devoted the majority of her time to programs that provide the basic framework for students’ educational opportunities at Princeton.
Ms. Malkiel identifies the four-year residential college initiative as one of the most significant developments that have occurred during her time as dean. The initiative was implemented in 2007 with the opening of Whitman College, the university’s sixth residential college, and culminated with the redevelopment of Butler College two years later.
"To have started as a residential college master in 1982 and to have been around long enough to see us begin to realize a century later what Woodrow Wilson set out to accomplish in the early years of the 20th century is enormously gratifying personally and institutionally," Ms. Malkiel said. She also created the McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning.
A scholar of 20th-century American history, Ms. Malkiel joined the Princeton faculty after earning her bachelor’s degree. from Smith College and her doctorate from Harvard University.
Asked why she was stepping down now, she said, simply, "In terms of the longevity of my deanship and the rhythm and schedule of the senior administration, this seemed to be the right moment."
While on leave in 2011-12, she will continue to serve as a trustee of the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation and as the university’s delegate to the Consortium on Financing Higher Education (COFHE) Assembly. She is chairing the COFHE Assembly this year and next year. Beginning in fall 2012, she expects to do some teaching again. In particular, she plans to lead a freshman seminar on coeducation.

