Molly Easo Smith

Molly Easo Smith

Molly Easo Smith (born 1958 in Chennai, India) is anIndian-American professor and scholar of Shakespeareand Renaissance drama, and academic administrator.

1 Biography

Born in Chennai (formerly Madras) in India, Dr. Smithgraduated from Ethiraj Womens College and MadrasChristian College in the University of Madras, withBA and MA degrees in English, respectively, and fromAuburn University with a Ph.D. in English Literature in1988. Smith has written two books and several articles onShakespeare and Renaissance drama. Her research andteaching interests include the sixteenth and seventeenthcenturies, Shakespeare, Women in Drama, and the devel-opment of theatre. She has held faculty and administra-tive posts at Ithaca College, St. Louis University, the Uni-versity of Aberdeen in Scotland, Seton Hall University,and Wheaton College (MA), and served as the eleventhPresident of Manhattanville College.[1]

Smith serves on the Board of Trustees at Fairleigh Dick-inson University and on the Executive Committee of theInternational Association of University Presidents, whereshe leads an initiative to develop women as academicleaders globally. She was recognized by the WestchesterBusiness Council as Businesswoman of the Year at theannual Awards Banquet in April 2011.[2] She was alsorecognized for her leadership in education by the Na-tional Federation of Indian Americans[3] and by the Ker-ala Center.[4] She was featured in the New York Timesas one among a handful of foreign-born presidents of USColleges and Universities.[5]

However, her career is punctuated by controversy. Sheleft Seton Hall releasing a Seton Hall professor from ad-ministrative duties, as a result of which she received avote of no condence from a minority of the college ofarts & sciences faculty.[6]

There were also numerous controversies that surroundedher tenure at Manhattanville, including: (1) a large scaleprotest by students in May 2010. According to a localnewspaper, the Harrison Patch,[7] Most of the outragewas focused toward the schools newly inaugurated pres-ident, Dr. Molly Easo Smith. Students say that Smith,who has only been president since April 7, 2010, has cutprograms and made changes without taking input fromstudents and sta[7] and: (2) an exodus of many longtime, and well respected, administrators, particularly in

Admissions and Student Admin, including the academicdean and acting vice president for student aairs, and vicepresident of enrollment. The article of May 6, 2010 inthe Harrison Patch noted that, with respect to the resign-ing administrators, Many of the students protesting wereinternational students who said that [one of those depart-ing admins] had played a major part of their decision tocome to the school.[7] According to a communique fromRobert Hall, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, theManhattanville College Board of Trustees is announcingan executive management transition. Molly Easo Smith,Ph.D. has decided to step down from her role as Presidenteective today, May 31.[7]

2 PersonalSmith attributes her commitment to education to the in-uence of several women: her grandmother whose edu-cation ceased when she married at the age of twelve; hermother who longed to attend college but had to work in-stead from the age of sixteen; her godmother who wasa Professor of English in Madras, having fought againstmany odds to ensure her own education and indepen-dence.Her hobbies include playing tennis and writing short sto-ries based on her life in India.

3 Books Breaking Boundaries: Politics and Play in theDrama of Shakespeare and his Contemporaries(1998)

The Darker World Within: Evil in the Tragedies ofShakespeare and his Successors (1991)

4 References[1] Joseph, George (May 7, 2010). Molly Smith inaugu-

rated as head of Manhattanville College. Redi.com.Retrieved 11 August 2014.

[2] http://www.westchester.com/news/westchesternews/business/14672-2011-business-hall-of-fame-winners-announced.html

1

2 4 REFERENCES

[3] http://www.nfia.net/

[4] http://www.keralacenterusa.com/keralacenterusa/KeralaCenter/KeralaCenter/NewsDetail/Default.aspx?NewsArticleKey=084399b3-76b5-455c-8f40-e079f8ad937c

[5] http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/10/education/10presidents.html?_r=1&ref=cooperunionfortheadvancementofscienceandart

[6] http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950CE5D71031F932A25751C1A9639C8B63&scp=1&sq=speaking+out%2C+but+for+whom&st=nyt

[7] http://harrison.patch.com/articles/hundreds-of-students-protest-outside-manhattanville-campus

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