Nancy Cantor Explained

Nancy Cantor
Order:2nd
Chancellor of
Rutgers University–Newark
Term Start:2014
Predecessor:Steven Diner
Order2:11th
Title2:Chancellor and President of Syracuse University
Term Start2:1 August 2004
Term End2:31 December 2013
Predecessor2:Kenneth Shaw
Successor2:Kent Syverud
Order3:7th
Title3:Chancellor of the
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Term Start3:2001
Term End3:2004
Predecessor3:Michael Aiken
Successor3:Richard Herman
Birth Date:4 February 1952
Alma Mater:Sarah Lawrence College
Stanford University
Profession:Professor, University administrator
Module:
Child:yes
Thesis Title:Prototypicality and personality judgments
Thesis Url:https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/741300
Thesis Year:1978

Nancy Ellen Cantor (born February 4, 1952)[1] is an American academic administrator, the chancellor of Rutgers University-Newark, in Newark, New Jersey, and incoming President of Hunter College. A social psychologist, Cantor is recognized for her scholarly contributions to the understanding of how individuals perceive and think about their social worlds, pursue personal goals, and how they regulate their behavior to adapt to life's most challenging social environments. Previously, Cantor was the first woman chancellor at Syracuse University.[2] Prior to that she was the first woman chancellor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.[3] Earlier, she had been provost at the University of Michigan.

Early life and education

Cantor was born in New York City. She received her A.B. in 1974 from Sarah Lawrence College and her Ph.D. in psychology in 1978 from Stanford University. At Stanford, Cantor initiated a program of research on person prototypes with Walter Mischel inspired by the categorization research of Eleanor Rosch and Carolyn Mervis.

Career

Early career

Early in her career, Cantor held teaching positions at the University of Michigan and Princeton University. As an academic administrator, she served as provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at the University of Michigan and then chancellor of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Syracuse University

In 2004, Cantor was selected chancellor of Syracuse University.[4] The university's board of trustees judged her initial five years to be very successful, pointing to her work with students, faculty and staff that leveraged the university's historic strengths, fostered innovation and creativity, and connected the institution in ways with the community, all of which has increased the university's quality and national visibility.[5] Cantor received criticism for an overall deterioration in the university's academic standing as a research center resulting in a decline in admissions standards, with its acceptance rate climbing from mid-50 to more than 60 percent.[4] [6] Certain faculty members took issue with what was seen as "authoritarian rule".[4] [7] Syracuse history professor David H. Bennett commented, “My fear is that the university is moving away from selective to inclusive."

Upon her departure from Syracuse nine years later, Board of Trustees Chairman Richard L. Thompson said of Cantor, "The Rutgers-Newark campus and community are gaining one of the nation’s outstanding academic leaders and the Rutgers board is gaining a deeply thoughtful, energetic and committed partner. Nancy has been a superlative leader, seeing our University to wonderful success and helping us to build on our distinctive greatness and achieve new heights."[8] Cantor's premature resignation 2 years prior to the ending of her contract raised questions from those at the university as to whether or not she was "pressured" to leave.[9]

The University received criticism for withdrawing from the Association of American Universities membership for "not meeting AAU criteria for producing research".[10]

Cantor headed a major fundraising campaign at Syracuse and was responsible for the development of the university’s Scholarship in Action initiative, which emphasized the role of the university as a public good. It was noted that Scholarship in Action was both popular and divisive at the same time.[11] [12] The Connective Corridor was the physical part of Scholarship in Action that aimed to bridge gaps between a wealthy university and a surrounding struggling city.[13] [14]

In 2006, following segments of racially discriminatory content that aired at the student-run TV station HillTV, Cantor halted production so that a university panel could review the content in keeping with the university's conduct code. “With free expression comes responsibilities for being a part of a campus community,” Cantor said in an interview. "We have codes of conduct. I don’t think it is beyond question to ask people who are in a diverse campus community to abide by those codes." Certain university faculty expressed concern that a divide had been created between free speech advocates and the chancellor supporters. ”There’s a tension,” said journalism professor Charlotte Grimes. ”I think people are increasingly cautious about what they say publicly, particularly if they don’t have tenure. There is a sense that if you speak out you might very well get a phone call from the powers that be.” Over 60 professors and staff signed an open letter protesting the move and Cantor's decision. Ultimately, a university panel allowed the station to re-open.[15]

In 2014, Cantor left Syracuse and took a position as chancellor of Rutgers University–Newark.[7]

Rutgers police incident

On March 4, 2019, Cantor was recorded confronting campus police during a minor traffic accident investigation involving her driver's car and a Rutgers University campus police car.[16] [17] Excerpts of Cantor shouting "I’m the chancellor!" went viral online.[18] Cantor issued an apology for her behavior, after an open records request brought the video to light three months later.[19]

Hunter College

On February 13, 2024, Cantor was appointed as the 14th President of Hunter College, with a term starting on August 12, 2024.[20]

Awards

Cantor is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences[21] and a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences.[22] She was the 1985 recipient of the American Psychological Association Award for Distinguished Scientific Early Career Contributions in the area of personality psychology.[23] Her award citation emphasized her contributions to the study of social categorization, specifically, how concepts are structured in terms of probabilities as fuzzy sets. Other awards include the Woman of Achievement Award from the Anti-Defamation League, the Making a Difference for Women Award from the National Council for Research on Women, the Reginald Wilson Diversity Leadership Award from the American Council on Education, and the Frank W. Hale, Jr. Diversity Leadership Award from the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education. Cantor was granted the 2008 Carnegie Corporation Academic Leadership Award.[24] [25]

Personal life

Cantor is married to sociology professor Steven R. Brechin, who teaches at Rutgers University-New Brunswick.

External links

Notes and References

  1. 1986. Distinguished scientific awards for an early career contribution to psychology: Nancy E. Cantor.. American Psychologist. en. 41. 4. 365–368. 10.1037/h0092136. 1935-990X.
  2. News: Mulconry. Sandi. February 6, 2004. Nancy Cantor, Chancellor of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, named 11th Chancellor and President of Syracuse University. SU News. 1 May 2021.
  3. Web site: Nancy Cantor – 150 for 150. 2021-09-13. en-US.
  4. News: Eltagouri . Marwa . Bird by Bird: Nancy Cantor, community reflect on her tenure at Syracuse University . September 18, 2021 . Daily Orange . December 4, 2013.
  5. News: Quinn. Kevin. June 27, 2008. Syracuse University Chancellor and President Nancy Cantor awarded new contract through 2014. SU News. 7 February 2023.
  6. News: Wilson . Robin . Syracuse's Slide . October 2, 2011 . . September 18, 2021.
  7. News: Heyboer . Kelly . Former Syracuse president takes reins as Rutgers-Newark chancellor . September 18, 2021 . nj.com . March 29, 2019.
  8. News: Quinn. Kevin. June 20, 2013. Syracuse University Chancellor and President Nancy Cantor Named Chancellor of Rutgers University-Newark. SU News. 7 February 2023.
  9. Web site: A look back on Nancy Cantor's career . Archive . qgao07 . May 13, 2020 . www.thenewshouse.com . March 29, 2023 .
  10. Web site: Syracuse's Slide . Wilson . Robin . October 2, 2011 . www.chronicle.com . March 29, 2023 .
  11. Web site: Nancy Cantor's vision: Good for the city, divisive on campus (David M. Rubin). M. David. November 10, 2013. syracuse.com. en-US. May 27, 2019.
  12. Web site: As fans and foes debate Nancy Cantor's legacy, they can't argue with this: She was good for Syracuse. Editorial Board. December 8, 2013. syracuse.com. en-US. May 27, 2019.
  13. News: Heyboer . Kelly . Former Syracuse president takes reins as Rutgers-Newark chancellor . September 18, 2021 . nj.com . March 29, 2019.
  14. Web site: The Cantor Legacy. Wasilewski. Walt. December 11, 2013. Syracuse New Times. en-US. May 27, 2019.
  15. News: Mayor . Evan . Censored TV station at Syracuse back on air; free speech questions persist . September 18, 2021 . Student Press Law Center . April 7, 2006.
  16. Web site: 'I'm the Chancellor!' Rutgers Official Apologizes After Video Shows Her Yelling at Campus Police . NBC New York . June 24, 2019 . August 24, 2019.
  17. Web site: 'I'm the chancellor!' university leader, a former Cuomo appointee, tells campus cops after traffic accident . Dom. Calicchio . FOX News . June 27, 2019 . August 24, 2019.
  18. Web site: Rutgers Chancellor Apologizes After Body-Cam Footage Shows Her Berating Campus Police Officers . Grace. Elletson. Chronicle.com . June 24, 2019 . August 24, 2019.
  19. Web site: 'I was not my best self,' Rutgers chancellor says of her outburst at campus police. Catherine. Carrera . North Jersey. en. June 24, 2019. September 4, 2019.
  20. Web site: February 13, 2024 . City University of New York: CUNY Names National Higher Education Leader Nancy Cantor as 14th President of Hunter College . February 13, 2024.
  21. Web site: Nancy E. Cantor. 2021-09-13. American Academy of Arts & Sciences. en.
  22. Web site: Nancy Cantor, Board of Governors, New York Academy of Sciences.
  23. Web site: APA Distinguished Scientific Awards for an Early Career Contribution to Psychology. 2021-09-13. www.apa.org.
  24. News: Visionaries At Berkeley, Syracuse Honored With Top Educator's Prize. Press Release. June 17, 2008. Carnegie Corporation of New York. May 27, 2019.
  25. Web site: Syracuse University Chancellor and President Nancy Cantor honored by Carnegie Corporation with national Academic Leadership Award, $500,000 grant. SU News. 17 June 2008 . en-US. May 27, 2019.