Princeton's 1st Female President to Leave Post

The first woman to serve as president of Princeton University will leave her post at the end of the academic year.
 
Shirley Tilghman announced her intentions in a letter emailed Saturday to students, faculty, staff and alumni. She had informed university officials about her intentions a day earlier.
 
Tilghman, who became the Ivy League school's 19th president in 2001, will leave office in June. She then plans to take a year's leave before returning to teaching "in the years to come."
 
A native of Canada, Tilghman came to Princeton in 1986 as a professor. During her tenure as president, the school greatly increased the number of students on financial aid and more than doubled the average aid they receive.
 
A 17-member search committee will be appointed to choose her successor.