Nancy Cantor

Last updated
Nancy Cantor
Nancy Cantor at Syracuse University Graduation Ceremony in 2006.jpg
Nancy Cantor in 2006
2ndChancellor of
Rutgers University–Newark
Assumed office
2014

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[ citation needed ]. 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.

Contents

Early life and education

Cantor was born in New York City. [1] 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 [4] with Walter Mischel inspired by the categorization research of Eleanor Rosch and Carolyn Mervis. [1]

Career

Cantor has been recognized for establishing a new understanding of the role of universities in society that re-emphasizes their public mission. [5] Conversely, Cantor’s terms as chancellor have been criticized for placing too much emphasis on city development and admission status. [6]

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. [7] 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. [8] 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. [7] [9] Certain faculty members took issue with what was seen as "authoritarian rule". [7] [10] Syracuse history professor David H. Bennett commented, “My fear is that the university is moving away from selective to inclusive." [11]

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." [12] 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. [6]

The University received criticism for withdrawing from the Association of American Universities membership for "not meeting AAU criteria for producing research". [11]

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. [13] [14] 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. [10] [15]

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." [16] 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.” [16] 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. [16]

In 2014, Cantor left Syracuse and took a position as chancellor of Rutgers University–Newark. [10]

Rutgers police incident

On March 4, 2019, Cantor was video-taped confronting campus police during a minor traffic accident investigation involving her driver's car and a Rutgers University campus police car. The confrontation was widely reported in the national news media. [17] [18] The police video of the incident also went viral online when outbursts of Cantor shouting: "I’m the chancellor!" caught public attention. [19] Three months later, in June 2019, Cantor issued an apology for her behavior, after an open records request brought the video to light. [20]

Hunter College

On February 13, 2024, Cantor was appointed as the 14th President of Hunter College, with a term starting on August 12, 2024. [21]

Awards

Cantor is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences [22] and a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences. [23] She was the 1985 recipient of the American Psychological Association Award for Distinguished Scientific Early Career Contributions in the area of personality psychology. [24] Her award citation emphasized her contributions to the study of social categorization, specifically, how concepts are structured in terms of probabilities as fuzzy sets. [1] 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. [3] Cantor was granted the 2008 Carnegie Corporation Academic Leadership Award. [25] [26]

Personal life

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

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Syracuse University</span> Private university in Syracuse, New York

Syracuse University is a private research university in Syracuse, New York, United States. Established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church, the university has been nonsectarian since 1920. Located in the city's University Hill neighborhood, east and southeast of Downtown Syracuse, the large campus features an eclectic mix of architecture, ranging from nineteenth-century Romanesque Revival to contemporary buildings. Syracuse University is organized into 13 schools and colleges and is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rutgers University</span> Multi-campus public research university in New Jersey

Rutgers University, officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's College, and was affiliated with the Dutch Reformed Church. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States, the second-oldest in New Jersey after Princeton University, and one of nine U.S. colonial colleges that were chartered before the American Revolution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Illinois System</span> Public university system in Illinois

The University of Illinois System is a system of public universities in the U.S. state of Illinois consisting of three universities: University of Illinois Chicago, University of Illinois Springfield, and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Across its three universities, the University of Illinois System enrolls more than 94,000 students. It had an operating budget of $7.18 billion in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign</span> Public university in Illinois, US

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is a public land-grant research university in the Champaign–Urbana metropolitan area, Illinois, United States. It is the flagship institution of the University of Illinois system and was established in 1867. With over 53,000 students, the University of Illinois is one of the largest public universities by enrollment in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rutgers University–Newark</span> Regional campus of Rutgers University

Rutgers University–Newark is one of three regional campuses of Rutgers University, a public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. It is located in Newark. Rutgers, founded in 1766 in New Brunswick, is the eighth oldest college in the United States and a member of the Association of American Universities. In 1945, the state legislature voted to make Rutgers University, then a private liberal arts college, into the state university and the following year merged the school with the former University of Newark (1936–1946), which became the Rutgers–Newark campus. Rutgers also incorporated the College of South Jersey and South Jersey Law School, in Camden, as a constituent campus of the university and renamed it Rutgers–Camden in 1950.

This is a list of the Chancellors of Syracuse University, a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Labor and Employment Relations Association</span>

The Labor and Employment Relations Association (LERA) was founded in 1947 as the Industrial Relations Research Association. LERA is an organization for professionals in industrial relations and human resources. Headquartered at the School of Labor and Employment Relations at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, the organization has more than 3,000 members at the national level and in its local chapters. LERA is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that draws its members from the ranks of academia, management, labor and "neutrals".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kent Syverud</span> American academic and University Administrator

Kent D. Syverud is the 12th Chancellor and President of Syracuse University. He began his term of office on January 13, 2014. He was previously the dean at Washington University School of Law and Vanderbilt University Law School.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Hogan (academic)</span> American academic and historian (born 1943)

Michael J. Hogan is an American historian who served as president of the University of Connecticut (2007–2010) and president of the University of Illinois System (2010–2012). He subsequently became a distinguished professor of history at the University of Illinois at Springfield.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phyllis Wise</span> Biomedical researcher

Phyllis M. Wise is a biomedical researcher. Most recently, she is serving as the inaugural Chief Executive Officer and President of Colorado Longitudinal Study.

Dorothy Cantor is an American psychologist and a former president of the American Psychological Association.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John E. Corbally</span> American academic administrator (1924–2004)

John Edward Corbally Jr. was an American academic administrator and university president. Corbally led Syracuse University from 1969 to 1971 before becoming president of the University of Illinois system from 1971 to 1979. He held roles in numerous non-profit organizations, including a decade as the first president of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

Nancy Boyd-Franklin is an American psychologist and writer. She is the author of five books and numerous articles on ethnicity and family therapy, and was invited by President Bill Clinton to speak at the first White House Conference on AIDS.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Institute for Veterans and Military Families</span> Research institute at Syracuse University in New York, U.S.

The Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) is an interdisciplinary research institution that informs and advances the policy, economic and wellness concerns of the America’s veterans and families. It is housed in the National Veterans Resource Center at Syracuse University. The IVMF annually serves thousands of U.S. veterans, service members, and their families around the world and as of 2019, the Institute had served 100,000 military service members, veterans, and their families through their programs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Debasish Dutta</span> American academic

Debasish "Deba" Dutta is an American mechanical engineer and higher education administrator. He is currently senior advisor to the president of the University of Illinois System and, effective February 17, 2024, is serving as interim executive director of the Discovery Partners Institute.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert J. Jones</span> American academic administrator (born 1951)

Robert J. Jones is an American crop physiology scientist who is the tenth chancellor of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Jones is the first African-American to hold this office. He previously served as president of the University of Albany. In addition to his academic career, Jones was a tenor singer in Sounds of Blackness, a vocal ensemble from Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota that sings gospel, soul, and R&B.

Morton W. Weir, born July 18, 1934, in Canton, Illinois, is an experimental psychologist and academic. After earning a BA from Knox College and an MA and PhD from the University of Texas at Austin, he joined the department of psychology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1960 and subsequently served in a number of administrative capacities, retiring from the chancellorship in 1993.

Jean E. Rhodes is an American psychologist and author. She is the Frank L. Boyden Professor of Psychology at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. She is the director of the Center for Evidence-Based Mentoring at the University of Massachusetts, Boston.

Barbara J. Wilson is an American academic who has served as the 22nd president of the University of Iowa since July 15, 2021. She previously was provost of the University of Illinois system.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Distinguished scientific awards for an early career contribution to psychology: Nancy E. Cantor". American Psychologist. 41 (4): 365–368. 1986. doi:10.1037/h0092136. ISSN   1935-990X.
  2. ↑ 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. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
  3. 1 2 "Nancy Cantor – 150 for 150" . Retrieved 2021-09-13.
  4. ↑ Cantor, Nancy; Mischel, Walter (1979), "Prototypes in Person Perception", Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, vol. 12, Elsevier, pp. 3–52, doi:10.1016/s0065-2601(08)60258-0, ISBN   978-0-12-015212-4 , retrieved 2021-09-13
  5. ↑ Rita Axelroth Hodges and Steven Dunn (2012). The Road Half Traveled: University Engagement at a Crossroads. East Lansing: Michigan State University Press.
  6. 1 2 Archive, qgao07 (May 13, 2020). "A look back on Nancy Cantor's career". www.thenewshouse.com. Retrieved March 29, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  7. 1 2 3 Eltagouri, Marwa (December 4, 2013). "Bird by Bird: Nancy Cantor, community reflect on her tenure at Syracuse University". Daily Orange. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
  8. ↑ Quinn, Kevin (June 27, 2008). "Syracuse University Chancellor and President Nancy Cantor awarded new contract through 2014". SU News. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  9. ↑ Wilson, Robin (September 18, 2021). "Syracuse's Slide". Chronicle of Higher Education . Retrieved October 2, 2011.
  10. 1 2 3 Heyboer, Kelly (March 29, 2019). "Former Syracuse president takes reins as Rutgers-Newark chancellor". nj.com. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
  11. 1 2 Wilson, Robin (October 2, 2011). "Syracuse's Slide". www.chronicle.com. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
  12. ↑ Quinn, Kevin (June 20, 2013). "Syracuse University Chancellor and President Nancy Cantor Named Chancellor of Rutgers University-Newark". SU News. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  13. ↑ M, David (November 10, 2013). "Nancy Cantor's vision: Good for the city, divisive on campus (David M. Rubin)". syracuse.com. Retrieved May 27, 2019.
  14. ↑ Editorial Board (December 8, 2013). "As fans and foes debate Nancy Cantor's legacy, they can't argue with this: She was good for Syracuse". syracuse.com. Retrieved May 27, 2019.
  15. ↑ Wasilewski, Walt (December 11, 2013). "The Cantor Legacy". Syracuse New Times. Retrieved May 27, 2019.
  16. 1 2 3 Mayor, Evan (April 7, 2006). "Censored TV station at Syracuse back on air; free speech questions persist". Student Press Law Center. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
  17. ↑ "'I'm the Chancellor!' Rutgers Official Apologizes After Video Shows Her Yelling at Campus Police". NBC New York. June 24, 2019. Retrieved August 24, 2019.
  18. ↑ Calicchio, Dom (June 27, 2019). "'I'm the chancellor!' university leader, a former Cuomo appointee, tells campus cops after traffic accident". FOX News. Retrieved August 24, 2019.
  19. ↑ Elletson, Grace (June 24, 2019). "Rutgers Chancellor Apologizes After Body-Cam Footage Shows Her Berating Campus Police Officers". Chronicle.com. Retrieved August 24, 2019.
  20. ↑ Carrera, Catherine (June 24, 2019). "'I was not my best self,' Rutgers chancellor says of her outburst at campus police". North Jersey. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
  21. ↑ "City University of New York: CUNY Names National Higher Education Leader Nancy Cantor as 14th President of Hunter College". February 13, 2024. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
  22. ↑ "Nancy E. Cantor". American Academy of Arts & Sciences. Retrieved 2021-09-13.
  23. ↑ "Nancy Cantor, Board of Governors, New York Academy of Sciences".
  24. ↑ "APA Distinguished Scientific Awards for an Early Career Contribution to Psychology". www.apa.org. Retrieved 2021-09-13.
  25. ↑ Press Release (June 17, 2008). "Visionaries At Berkeley, Syracuse Honored With Top Educator's Prize". Carnegie Corporation of New York. Retrieved May 27, 2019.
  26. ↑ "Syracuse University Chancellor and President Nancy Cantor honored by Carnegie Corporation with national Academic Leadership Award, $500,000 grant". SU News. 17 June 2008. Retrieved May 27, 2019.
Academic offices
Preceded by Chancellor of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
2001 – 2004		Succeeded by
Preceded by Chancellor of Syracuse University
2004 – 2013		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Todd Clear
Interim
 Chancellor of Rutgers University–Newark
2014 – present		Incumbent
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.