Alumni, Students Celebrate Barnard's Next President

Though Anna Quindlen’s early-morning introduction of Debora Spar to the Barnard College faculty marked the first of five such meetings on Tuesday, the excitement in the James Room never wavered, even through repetitive speeches.

“I have now introduced Debora Spar five times in the last 24 hours,” Quindlen said to her 5 p.m. audience. “You’d think, therefore, that I would be weary of the task but that’s wrong. I am so excited at the prospect of her leadership for years to come, that my main task as a writer while working on this has been to peel back all the over-the-top adjectives.”

Four meetings in rapid succession followed the first early-morning announcement. Quindlen and Spar also held a lunch with student leaders, a forum with staff members, and an introductory session with “past and present Barnard leaders.”

By the time the duo returned to the James Room for a 5 p.m. welcome celebration with the wider Barnard community, Spar and board of trustees chair Quindlen had each delivered the same introduction and speech at least twice and held at least three question and answer sessions.

Alumni as old as 90 years old talked with students as attendees grazed on a spread of crumpets, fruit, and drink at the 5 p.m. session. In attendance were notable alumnae including Jane Gould, BC ’40, who served as the first director of Barnard’s renowned Department of Women’s Studies during the 1968 riots. “It’s marvelous that Barnard stayed a women’s college and kept its high standards,” Gould said.

As Spar reached the middle of her address for the last time, the crowd parted to let University President Lee Bollinger approach the front of the room. Spar noted that Bollinger had come straight from an airplane. The current and upcoming presidents took their first press photographs together.

Ruthie Fierberg, BC ’10, said she was optimistic about Spar’s appointment and Bollinger’s attendance. “I’m glad President Bollinger is here. His presence shows support for the College.”

In an interview after the event, Bollinger said he does not see Spar’s impending leadership as a turning point in the BC/CU relationship’s dynamic. “It’s a very successful blending of two institutions, each of which has a distinctive personality a distinctive character, and yet there’s a very good partnership and working relationship and I would expect that to continue in the indefinite future.”