Editorials

NORTHAMPTON, Mass.— Carol Christ, who was the highest-ranking female administrator at the University of California Berkeley, was named president of Smith College on Monday. 

Christ, 57, succeeds Ruth Simmons, who left the all-women’s liberal arts college after five years to become president of Brown University on July 1. 

Christ will begin her duties as Smith’s 10th president next June. John Connolly, Smith’s acting president, will continue to serve until Christ comes on board. Christ served as the executive vice chancellor and provost at Berkeley from 1994 to 2000 before returning to the classroom to teach  

English full-time. 

Christ, author of three books on literature of the English Renaissance, is credited with sharpening Berkeley’s intellectual focus, and building top-ranked departments in the humanities and sciences. She served as assistant to the chancellor on issues involving the status of women and particularly of women in the sciences. 

“Carol Christ’s departure is a great loss to the English department and to the University of California, and a wonderful opportunity for Carol and for Smith College,” said Janet Adelman, chair of Berkeley’s English department.  

“I think they made a great choice.”