Alumni were shocked by College President James Freedman's decision to resign at the end of the academic year, and many of them said he will leave big shoes to fill.
While news of Freedman's plan circulated among some student groups through e-mail late last night, most alumni have yet to hear the news.
Former Alumni Council President Gary Dicovitsky '72 said that even though he spoke with many people at the College yesterday afternoon, he didn't hear about Freedman's resignation until he was contacted by The Dartmouth.
"I hadn't even given [the possibility] a thought," Dicovitsky said. "But you never know what is a good time for a president to step down."
A. Kelley Fead '78, who spoke with several Dartmouth alumni yesterday, said she had no idea Freedman would resign. But she said his decision comes at a good time.
"He had been here a long time and gotten to see many of the things he thought were important come to fruition," Fead said. "He leaves Dartmouth strong and moving forward."
Thomas Marek '80, who lives in Minnesotta, said he thinks Freedman's announcement will take most people by surprise. Marek said that Freedman expressed no desire to retire when he visited the Twin Cities last fall, while raising money for the Will to Excel campaign.
Rebecca Slisz '95 said she is "disappointed and sad to see [Freedman] go," and she complimented Freedman for helping the College move forward.
"I think he has brought Dartmouth into a different level of intellectual activity," Slisz said. "He's brought the campus into good shape for the future."
Most alumni mentioned fundraising as one of Freedman's greatest successes. Last year's Will to Excel campaign -- which raised $568 million -- was the biggest fundraising effort in the College's history.
Several alumni were surprised that health issues played such a small role in Freedman's decision. Freedman, who was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 1994, underwent six months of chemotherapy following the removal of a malignant tumor.
"If his health is 100 percent I'd have to say I'm very surprised at his decision," Carlton Frost '44 said.
