Susan Bourque Named Provost at Smith

Susan C. Bourque, Esther Booth Wiley Professor of Government at Smith College, has been appointed provost and dean of the faculty at the college.

Bourque, who joined the Smith faculty in 1970 after earning her bachelor's and doctoral degrees from Cornell University, was dean for academic development from 1994 to 1997. She was director of the Smith Research Project on Women and Social Change from 1978 to 1994 and chair of the government department from 1991 to 1994. She has served on a broad range of college committees, including the committees on tenure and promotion, academic policy, grievance, financial aid, admission and women's studies.

In announcing Bourque's appointment, President Ruth J. Simmons cited the breadth of Bourque's contributions to Smith: "Her service on virtually every major committee provides her with a unique understanding of the college that will serve her well as chief academic officer of the college and deputy to the president." Simmons also cited Bourque's extensive scholarship on "a wide range of political issues in Latin America and the United States, including the issues surrounding higher education and women's leadership."

Bourque's books and edited volumes include "The Politics of Women's Education: Perspectives from Asia, Africa and Latin America," co-edited with Jill Ker Conway; "Learning About Women: Gender, Politics and Power"; "Women Living Change: Cross-Cultural Perspectives," co-edited with Donna Robinson Divine; and "Women of the Andes," co-authored with Kay B. Warren.

Her most recent book is "Women on Power: Leadership Redefined," co-edited with Sue J. M. Freeman and Christine M. Shelton, forthcoming in May. Her books and articles have been awarded academic honors, including the Alice and Edith Hamilton Prize for Women of the Andes and the New England Council of Latin American Studies Prize for Best Article.

Bourque will begin her term on June 1. She succeeds John Connolly, who will be acting president during the search for a successor to Simmons, when Simmons assumes the presidency of Brown University on July 1.

Smith College is consistently ranked among the nation's best liberal arts colleges. Enrolling 2,800 students from every state and 50 other countries, Smith is the largest undergraduate women's college in the United States.

Contact: Laurie Fenlason, lfenlason@smith.edu

March 13, 2001