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Dr. Drew Gilpin Faust, the current Harvard University president, has announced that she will leave the university next year.
Dr. Faust, Harvard’s first woman president since it was founded in 1636, was elected in 2007. She will step down on June 30, 2018. Her resignation from the university will coincide with the end of Harvard’s most recent fundraising campaign.
The fundraising campaign, which was launched in 2013, is considered one of Dr. Faust’s greatest achievements. With a year still remaining, it has already collected $8 billion, setting a record in fundraising among higher education institutions. The money from the campaign will be used to enhance the education experience of future Harvard students and faculty.
Aside from the fundraising campaign, Dr. Faust has many other notable achievements. For instance, she guided Harvard through the 2008 global financial crisis with her swift and decisive actions. She also increased diversity in the campus during her term.
Under her leadership, the percentage of Latino and African-American students in the university grew. More students from families with lower income were also able to enroll in Harvard because she expanded the university’s financial aid program. Furthermore, the number of women in the faculty also increased during her term.
Following her resignation, Dr. Faust plans to take a sabbatical to focus on academic work for a year. Meanwhile, Harvard will form a committee this year that will search for a new president. According to the university, finding a replacement for Dr. Faust may take a year.