In Admiration of Barbara Lee as She Steps Down

May 6, 2020

Members of the Rutgers Community:

With immense gratitude for all she has done for Rutgers since she arrived here in 1982, I am writing to announce that Barbara A. Lee will complete her service as Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and return to the faculty, effective July 1.

Dr. Lee, who served for six years as dean of the School of Management and Labor Relations and five years as director of the Center for Women and Work, has led our academic mission as SVPAA since her appointment in 2015. Over these five years, I have relied on Barbara’s exceptional intellect, leadership, institutional knowledge, and unassailable integrity, calling on her constantly to chair committees and task forces on critical issues, including the humanities, sexual harassment prevention, and faculty diversity. She has also overseen a broad portfolio that ranges from enrollment management to the Libraries to veterans’ services.

Beyond her administrative achievements, Dr. Lee is a brilliant scholar. Holding both a doctorate in higher education administration and a law degree, she is one of the nation’s foremost experts on legal issues in higher education and co-authored and regularly updated the definitive treatise, The Law of Higher Education, now in its sixth edition. She is an elected member of the American Law Institute and, among many awards, received the William A. Kaplin Award for Excellence in Higher Education Law and Policy Scholarship in 2010. She also received the University’s Daniel Gorenstein Award in 2009 and the Alice Paul Equality Award from the Alice Paul Institute in 2011 for her work on behalf of women in the workforce. 

Put simply, Dr. Lee is a world-class scholar, teacher, and leader, and exemplifies our highest ideals as a public research university.

As Barbara prepares to step down, I am pleased to announce that Richard L. Edwards, former Chancellor of Rutgers University–New Brunswick, former Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, former Acting President, and former dean of the School of Social Work, has agreed to fill the position on an interim basis, beginning July 1.  Dr. Edwards has been a champion for our faculty and students alike and brings a deep knowledge of Rutgers to help guide Academic Affairs in the coming months. He will serve until President Holloway appoints a permanent Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Please join me in thanking Barbara Lee for her outstanding leadership and in welcoming Dick Edwards to this interim appointment.

Sincerely,

Robert Barchi