Set Our Feet on Lofty Places 88 Days A Writer and His Image - Alumni

Innovator
what we now aptly call a liberal arts university.
Indeed, although there are no doubt more tangible
signs of her impact, I suspect that its full implementation
may well prove to be one of the most notable
parts of her vital legacy to Colgate.”
– Linck Johnson, Professor of English, member,
Strategic Planning Committee
“Rebecca’s management style is one to emulate. I
never left a meeting with her that I did not feel was
run perfectly, that much was accomplished, and that
I learned something. She never shied away from
tough questions or issues, but was ready to take
anything head on.”
– RuthAnn Loveless MA’72, Vice President of
Alumni Affairs
“As a religion major and budding women’s rights
activist, I discovered the possibilities for reconciliation
in the feminist theology created by Rebecca and
her contemporaries when she co-taught Women In
Religious Thought. We all know Rebecca the administrator,
but I got to understand her as the forwardthinking,
relevant academic that she is.”
– Sarah Compter ’04
“For almost 10 years, I had the privilege of serving
with Rebecca Chopp on the Board of the Carnegie
Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. All of
our endeavors benefitted immensely from Rebecca’s
deep understanding of Carnegie and its educational
priorities. She played a particularly insightful role in
our search for a new president. Her incisive questions
always cut to the core of the difficult quanda-
The annual student-organized Colgate Arts! Initiative
Festival
ries we faced. Rebecca’s solid advice, wisdom, vast
experience in searches, and quiet sense of humor
inspired us throughout.”
– David Tatel, former chair, Carnegie Foundation
for the Advancement of Teaching; Judge, U.S.
Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit
“I am pleased to see the arts today stronger and
better integrated into the fabric of the university.
This required more than simply encouraging support
of the arts. In Rebecca, we have had a president
who simply could not imagine how a university can
flourish without a dynamic arts scene.”
– Mary Ann Calo, Director of the Institute for the
Creative and Performing Arts (2006–2008),
Professor of Art and Art History
“Rebecca has a commitment to look at any issue or
situation and have as her sole focus to ‘do the right
thing.’ Nowhere has this been more evident than in
her commitment to making a Colgate education
Women’s soccer players celebrate their Patriot League
Championship. (November 2004)
accessible and affordable to the very best and
brightest young women and men from all backgrounds
and traditions. So many outstanding
students would not be here today were it not for the
fact that she made financial aid a top priority in her
administration.”
– Gary Ross ’77, Vice President and Dean of
Admission
“Rebecca’s seven years of steadfast and relentless
work helped us rethink diversity and inclusivity on
campus. Her — at times — soft and quiet ways of
effecting change have impacted the status of students
and faculty of color. She made all of us part
of her triumphs without taking any credit for it.”
– Lourdes Rojas, Professor of Spanish
“When Rebecca agreed to teach a first-year seminar
with me, I have to admit that I assumed that she
would be a kind of honorary professor rather than
a full-time participant in the class. It became clear
at the very beginning of that fall 2008 semester,
however, that she intended to be my co-professor in
every sense of the word. Rebecca was not only an incisive
discussion leader in our seminar, Political Theology,
she also enthusiastically embraced the other
role of an FSEM professor: introducing students to
academic life at Colgate, and to the rigor and excitement
of research and learning. We covered a lot of
ground on the relationship between politics and
theology, but we also learned a great deal about how
administrators, faculty, and students experience life
at Colgate, and about how we can better interact
with each other across what can sometimes be
fairly wide institutional divisions. I can’t count the
Global Leaders Lecture Series hosts His Holiness the Dalai
Lama. (April 2008)
Chopp listens to a Benton Scholar’s perspective during a Political Theology FSEM discussion. (October 2008)
number of times that the students (and I) turned to
Professor Chopp in order to gain greater insight into
the decisions and challenges that were being faced
every day by President Chopp. I will miss sitting at
the seminar table with her and our eager students,
and hearing her say: ‘So, what did you think in response
to the reading that was assigned for today?’”
– Tim Byrnes, Professor of Political Science
“Rebecca Chopp was the reason I came to Colgate.
I first became acquainted with her when I attended
the Frye Leadership Institute in information technology
at Emory University in 2000. Rebecca was on
its faculty, and her vision of what was needed by
library and technology leaders in higher education
was impressive. By the time I arrived here in 2005,
one of Rebecca’s top objectives was to build the
state-of-the-art Case Library and Geyer Center for
Information Technology. I quickly benefited directly
from Rebecca’s facilitative leadership. I have been
With the transfer of house ownership to Colgate, fraternities
and sororities moved forward as members of the
Broad Street Community.
able to help guide the Colgate libraries forward to
realize their mission to support the curriculum and
scholarship.”
– Joanne Schneider, University Librarian
“I met President Chopp during our daughter Luisa’s
first year. I wanted to learn her plans regarding
diversity — an issue dear to my heart. She immediately
replied that bringing in students from different
countries and different colors was at the top of
her list. We spoke about economic diversity as well.
Chopp (left) and Professor Ellen Kraly train for their Mount
Baker climb for breast cancer research with a snowshoe
outing on campus. (February 2004)
I knew right then that we had a jewel as president
of Colgate. Rebecca made profound changes. She
established transparency from her first day on the
post, had a vision, and shared it. She is like a comet
that swooshed past us, lighting our path. Now she
continues her journey to light the way for others.
I will miss her.”
– Rosalia Miller P’06, Board of Trustees
“Rebecca’s drive and spirit make you want to be a
part of her team. In seven years, there was never
a bad day at the office! I feel blessed by the opportunity
to work with such a talented, remarkable
person. And you’ve got to love a boss who enjoys
Gilligan’s ice cream, chocolates, and chicken wings!”
– Claudia Caraher, Assistant to the President
“I was the first chair of the $400 million Passion
for the Climb campaign. President Chopp was an
amazingly passionate and effective fundraiser for
Colgate. Even in these challenging times, I am confident
that the goal will be reached and exceeded. For
that, Colgate will be forever thankful to her. Rebecca
has the courage of a lion, the decisiveness of a top
chief executive, and boundless energy. Colgate is so
fortunate to have had her lead us for seven wonderful
years of growth in academic excellence and
significant improvement in the student experience
(I have my son Denis ’09 and daughter Megan ’10
at Colgate). She has earned a little vacation time at
Swarthmore!”
– Denis Cronin ’69, Trustee Emeritus
“Rebecca did not tell the Alumni Council what to
do, but she made it clear she was counting on us to
do great things. She sought differing perspectives,
“She made all of us part of her triumphs without taking any
credit for it.” — Lourdes Rojas
The largest grant ever received by Colgate, nearly $1 million
from the NSF, supported a four-year investigation into
the effects of acid rain on the Adirondacks.
28 scene: Summer 2009
News and views for the Colgate community 29 29