Blog

The Committee of Three
Oct. 28, 2024

Princeton’s excellence depends on many factors, but foremost among them is the caliber of the professors who produce world-class research, educate our students, help to run the institution, and conduct searches to identify potential colleagues.

At Princeton, the most important guarantor of faculty quality is a committee known as “the…

Opening Exercises 2024: ‘Something Transcendent’
Sept. 30, 2024

For Opening Exercises on September 1, we gathered on the front lawn of Nassau Hall to welcome Princeton’s new transfer students and the Class of 2028. I invited students to carefully consider the meaning and value of liberal arts education as they pursue their Princeton journey, and to be inspired by the “transcendent” experience of Pre-read…

Two Threats to the Ivy Athletics Model
Sept. 1, 2024

Two Threats to the Ivy Athletics Model” was first published in the September 2024 version of the Princeton Alumni Weekly.

 

The Gary Walters ’67 Princeton Varsity Club Awards Banquet is among my favorite events during Reunions…

Commencement 2024: ‘Leaning into Life, at Princeton and Beyond’
July 29, 2024

Commencement 2024: ‘Leaning into Life, at Princeton and Beyond’ was first published in the July 2024 edition of the Princeton Alumni Weekly.

On May 28, I had the honor of presiding…

Princeton Pre-read 2024: ‘The Worlds I See’
April 29, 2024

The post "Princeton Pre-read 2024: ‘The Worlds I See’" first appeared in the April 2024 edition of the Princeton Alumni Weekly.

 

When I took office in 2013, I established the Princeton…

Speak Up for Princeton and for Higher Education
March 1, 2024

"Speak Up for Princeton and for Higher Education" was first published in the March issue of the Princeton Alumni Weekly.

Seven years ago, I began writing annual letters on the state of the University, its progress toward strategic goals, and…

The Clean Energy Transformation Beneath Our Feet
Jan. 3, 2024

 "The Clean Energy Transformation Beneath Our Feet" first appeared in the January 2024 edition of the Princeton Alumni Weekly.

Seven years into the largest building program in Princeton University’s history, the main ribbon-cutting…

Faculty Dinners at Lowrie House
Dec. 22, 2023

"Faculty Dinners at Lowrie House" first appeared in the December 2023 edition of the Princeton Alumni Weekly.

People often ask me what I like best about my job. The answer is easy: I enjoy meeting Princetonians of all types—undergraduates, graduate students,…

Bending the Socioeconomic Curve in Selective College Admissions
Nov. 29, 2023

"Bending the Socioeconomic Curve in Selective College Admissions" originally appeared in the November 2023 issue of the Princeton Alumni Weekly.

The most prominent U.S. college rankings have recently made changes to give…