New York: One of the world’s most famous universities will now be headed by a woman. Drew Gilpin Faust has been named the first female president of the Harvard University in its 371-year history.
"I hope that my own appointment can be one symbol of an opening opportunities that would been inconceivable even a generation ago," 59-year old Faust told reporters.
However, Fausttold - who is an expert in American South history and Dean of Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study – also clarified, "I am not the woman president, I am president of Harvard.”
She succeeds Lawrence Summers - whose comments that genetic differences between sexes might explain the dearth of women in the top science jobs - sparked nationwide debate on equality.
Faust was elected by a seven-member Harvard Corporation and the appointment was ratified by its 30-member board ending a lengthy secretive selection process.
She becomes the 28th President of the University and will preside over 24,000 employees and a budget of three billion dollars.
Faust has overseen two faculty task forces formed to examine gender diversity at the University after Summers' remarks.
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