Make that Professor Freedman

Three days alter President James O. Freedman convened the 228th academic year of theCollege, he stunned the campus by announcing his intention to retire after Commencement in June 1988. The real surprise was not the retirementitself havingheld the position since July 1987, lie is the longest-standing Ivy president. But no one guessed that the resignation would come when it did.

Freedman even seems to have surprised himself. Although he had been dunking for several months of how much longer he-would serve, he told students, he reached his decision only shortly before he announced it to the Dartmouth community September 26. In excellent health since his 1994 bout with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Freedman explained, "I have reached a point where I want to spend more time with my family and set my own schedule."

It's not surprising that he wants a change of pace. For ten years he has led the pace of chang at Dartmouth, raising the College's intellectual rigor as record $568 million dollars for the endowment. "These have veen, for me, years of satisfaction and stimulation,"Freedman said in his announcement, "and I thank you all for marking, them so. It has been a privilege to serve as president of Dartmouth, arid I hope that each of you

Freedman Plans to remain at Dartmouth as a faculty member and to undertake a year-long sabbatical to complete a second book of essays about liberal education. Meanwhile. he will be airing some of his thoughts in an October 16 speech to the National press Club on the role ofintellectuals in American society. C-SPAN Plans to broadcast the event. Check T.V. listing for time of broadcast.

The june '98 issue of this magazine will contain a major retrospective of the Freedman presidency, including a candid interview with contributing editor Robert Sullivan '75.

Dartmouth's 15th President announced he'll step down in June.