"It's been the privilege of my life to have had 30 years teaching Dartmouth students," Folt said. "Like all graduates, I get pretty emotional right before graduation."
With just a year in Parkhurst Hall's most senior office, many commented on Folt's ability to enact change while remaining within the parameters of an interim presidency.
Former College President James Wright said the transitory nature of Folt's interim presidency complicated her role. He marveled at her ability to lead the strategic planning process and the anniversaries of coeducation and Native American studies, in addition to guiding the College into President-elect Phil Hanlon's upcoming presidency. Hanlon will begin on June 10.
Dean of graduate studies and chemistry professor F. Jon Kull said Folt's ability to address campus culture was limited by a lack of time.
"I don't think anyone could expect in a year we're going to solve the student social issues on campus," he said.
Folt's focus on long-term initiatives reflects her transitional presidency, Palaeopitus moderator Brendan Woods '13 said. Because of her short time in office, Folt should not receive blame for the College's problems, he said.
Tuck Dean Paul Danos said Folt has both a good personality and a scientific mind.
"I call her the steel magnolia," he said. "She has a great relationship with human beings."
Kull took an ecology class with Folt as a student and has worked closely with her as a professor and administrator. He said Folt exemplifies Dartmouth's scholar-teacher mode, and lauded her contributions to the Women in Science Project and her aims to improve faculty equality.
Folt said the Year of the Arts and anniversary celebrations were highlights of her interim presidency. Over her career, she has seen a dramatic increase in the student body's diversity and an improved faculty.
After Folt was appointed provost under former College President Jim Yong Kim, she and Kim led the strategic planning process, which she continued this past year.
The nine strategic planning working groups released their preliminary reports at the end of winter term after two years of discussions.
Folt said many criticisms of the reports are directed toward in working groups sections that do not go into "great detail."
"People will decide which of [the ideas] show the most promise, and then they can really flesh them out," she said.
The working group reports in their current state are a "gift" to Hanlon, Folt said.
"It would have been wonderful to bring the strategic plan to a conclusion," she said. "But it wouldn't make sense when we're welcoming a new president."
The reports did not address Greek life because the Students of the Future committee, which addressed community and residential living, wanted to "diversify" student experience, Folt said.
"I don't think they were avoiding the issue," she said. "They were trying to step back and say, What's the community we want?' and then, What part of it do we not have, and what do we need to adjust?'"
Kull, who worked on several working groups, said the reports contain "really good ideas" and "some ideas that will get forgotten."
Folt fell into the national spotlight after her administration canceled class on April 24 to reflect on threats that protesters had received.
Canceling class resulted in some of the most "meaningful" conversations that students have had on campus, Folt said.
Despite the myriad debates occurring on campus, the College remains more united than divided, Folt said.
Computer science professor and department chair Thomas Cormen said that while he does not frequently criticize the College administration, he disagreed with the decision to cancel classes. He called the 14-hour notice inadequate and cited the inconvenience for courses.
Kull, however, praised Folt's decision to cancel classes.
"Things seemed to be getting intense," he said. "If she hadn't done that, I think things would be worse on campus."
Woods said the administration's quick response differs from that of past administrations.
"The administration sort of jumped at it and didn't sort of dither and wait like other administrations had," Woods said. "There is obviously still a lot more to be done."
Cormen said Folt maintained good traction and a good reputation among the faculty.
"You can't agree with the administration on everything, but the real question is if you feel like they have the best interest of the institution and your department and the students at heart," Cormen said. "And I've always felt that under the Folt administration, brief though it was, yes."
Wright applauded Folt's efforts to ameliorate the tension following the Dimensions protest.
"When these things emerge, you have to find a way to affirm the values of the institution, reach out to people to make certain they feel secure and make certain the standard procedures of the College are followed," Wright said. "Sometimes there is a conflict with these, but from my perspective, she did that very well."
Folt said she worked hard to improve the College.
"If I had any one regret, it's just that there weren't 36 hours in every day," she said.
Folt's colleagues lauded her tireless work ethic.
"She works harder than anyone else I've ever seen," Kull said.
Wright said that Folt could not have "accomplished more that she did."
Football coach Buddy Teevens called Folt a "wonderful representation of Dartmouth," praising her efficiency, intelligence and administrative skills.
As provost, Folt helped the institution through financial setbacks, and as dean of faculty, she expanded the faculty and created the Institute for Writing and Rhetoric. She brought an increased focus on sustainability over her career at Dartmouth.
During the past two decades, Dartmouth has become dramatically more diverse, Folt said.
"We are moving toward the demography of the future," she said.
This diversity has brought greater focus to global issues and social justice from the student body. She lauded students' excitement for improving the campus climate.
Earlier in her career, Folt was one of the first faculty involved the Women in Science Program, which places female students in laboratories across campus. Women continue to face significant challenges at Dartmouth, and the College must diligently work to improve women's experiences on campus, Folt said.
Folt said she showed particular interest in the Hopkins Center's Year of the Arts. This year, the Hop brought performers including Yo-Yo Ma and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
Woods is a former member of The Dartmouth staff.
Staff writer Sean Connolly contributed reporting.
