Meredith College leader to retire in 2011

RALEIGH -- MeredithCollege's first and only female president says she will retire next year after leading the women's college for 12 years.

Maureen Hartford, who was named president in 1999, said her husband convinced her it was time to retire, so she could be his playmate, she said. Her husband, Jay Hartford, has been retired for 11 years, she said.

"I thought I would only stay 10 years, but they talked me into staying longer," Hartford said Monday.

Hartford said she gave herself 18 months until her last day, so she can complete some of her goals and help the college's board of trustees plan for a new president. She hopes to complete the school's next strategic plan, strengthen the college's financial position and complete its accreditation work, she said in a news release.

Like most colleges and universities, Meredith has suffered during the recession. Administrators had to cut $1.4million from last year's budget, discontinuing several majors and stopping contributions to employee retirement accounts.

Hartford found herself involved in some emotional debates about the school's mission.

"She's looked at the big picture for today's climate and looking forward to the future," said Elizabeth Triplett Beam, chairwoman of the college's board of trustees and a 1972 Meredith graduate.

"The board is very appreciative of her dedication and excitement that she has put toward everything in good times and bad," Beam said.

Hartford, a Charlotte native and graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, came to Meredith from the University of Michigan, where she was vice president of student affairs.

"All the friends I knew who wanted to be presidents said their dream was to go to small liberal arts schools," she said.

Empowering women

She thought it was an additional advantage to go to a small, liberal arts college dedicated to educating women. Hartford referred to a Duke University study that showed that women there still struggle with speaking out in co-ed classrooms and that women felt "less free to be smart."

"That really offended me when you think about it...that women had a negative connection to being too smart," Hartford said. "That's not an issue in our classrooms."

Amy Damone, a Meredith senior and president of the college's student government association, said she was sad to read the e-mail announcement Monday that Hartford would retire

"I think she's nothing but a warm, supportive woman," Damone said. "She always has the best interest of the students. She always encouraged us to see how we can impact Raleigh, the state and the world through outside service projects."

There were 100 years of male presidents at the all women's college before Hartford. And while she will not be responsible for hiring her successor, she said she will encourage the board to hire another female president.

"I think it's a wonderful symbol to show the students here that women can make it to the highest levels of leadership," she said.

Hartford said she and her husband plan to stay in the Triangle. She will teach and spend more time with her grandchildren, who live in Florida and Washington.

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