Former U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich '68 deflected questions on Saturday night about whether he would consider succeeding James Freedman as president of the College -- though he did not rule himself out, either.
Reich -- in town to deliver a speech about "The Future of Work" in America -- elicited the strongest response from his audience when asked about a possible bid for the College presidency.
"What about a woman president of Dartmouth?" he asked the audience instead, receiving in return a thunderous applause.
The College has never had a woman at its helm during its entire 228-year history.
But he added, "I don't want to rule myself out, though."
Freedman announced just over a week ago he will step down from the presidency after Commencement this year. Reich's name has already appeared on several speculative lists of possible successors.
Reich -- a professor of social and economic policy at Brandeis University and its Heller Graduate School -- told the Valley News after his speech it would be "inappropriate" to involve himself in the presidential search process or to comment on the availability of the position at this time.
"I really don't want to get into it," Reich said.
Reich's distinguished background in academia and his strong ties to the College -- as both an alumnus and a former member of the Board of Trustees -- make him a logical candidate for consideration by the soon-to-be-formed presidential search committee.
Historically, the Board of Trustees has sought presidents with a previous tie to the College. Freedman is the first president since Bennett Tyler in 1822 with no prior Dartmouth affiliation -- either as an alumnus or faculty member.
Prior to serving as Secretary of Labor in the first Clinton Administration, Reich was on the faculty at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.
During his years at the College, Reich served as president of the Student Assembly -- then called the Undergraduate Council.
