Virginia B. Smith
At 12:32 p.m. President Catharine B. Hill sent an all campus e-mail informing the College of the passing of Vassar’s eighth president, Virginia B. Smith. Smith served as president from 1977-1986 and passed away on Friday, Aug. 27.
According to the Vassar College Encyclopedia, Smith worked to improve Vassar during her tenure, proposing and creating several significant programs. “These programs included the President’s distinguished visitor program, a summer program, and the development of a manuscript collection,” the Encyclopedia’s article on Smith states. “Smith reorganized and strengthened the college’s administrative and academic offices, and improved endowments to raise the faculty’s salaries and to finance their travel for research. Smith was also committed to raising more money for the college; by her resignation from Vassar in 1985, $76 million had been raised, and $24 million more expected by the end of the 80’s, a milestone for a president of Vassar.” Smith came to the College with experience in law, economics, and educational policy.
Hill noted that more information will be available to the campus community soon. “Further information, including an obituary, will be posted shortly,” wrote Hill in her e-mail. “In addition, I will have a few words to say tomorrow at Convocation, followed by a moment of silence in commemoration of her life of service to higher education and to Vassar.”
