Committee on undergraduate women's leadership launches website

A committee established to develop a better understanding of women's leadership in academic and extracurricular activities at Princeton has launched a website seeking observations about leadership roles at the University and suggestions from students, alumni, faculty and staff.

The Steering Committee on Undergraduate Women's Leadership was commissioned by President Shirley M. Tilghman to provide recommendations to expand opportunities for students to pursue leadership roles inside and outside the classroom. The committee's website asks campus community members to answer a series of questions about their experiences and views related to student leadership at the University. This information will help the committee shape its recommendations, according to committee chair Nannerl Keohane.

"The committee already has gathered valuable input from many Princetonians in the initial phases of our work, and we look forward to capturing the full range of diverse perspectives on this issue," said Keohane, the Laurance S. Rockefeller Distinguished Visiting Professor in the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs and the University Center for Human Values. "Feedback from the website will augment the information we collect while continuing to meet with various groups this fall. The insights gained are critical to our work as we explore whether there are disparities in how male and female undergraduate students assert leadership inside and outside the classroom at Princeton."

The website includes information on the members and purpose of the committee, as well as a timeline of the committee's activities. The site will be updated as the committee works to fulfill its charge by February 2011 to issue a report describing its findings and presenting recommendations for improving the opportunities for all students to excel at Princeton.