Campus
NEWS n
President Norton to Step Down
realize its potential to become a premier institution of high-
President Cheryl J. Norton has announced that she
er learning.” Norton is the 10th president of Southern and the
will retire as president of Southern Connecticut State University, May 31, 2011. She has requested that the
first woman to lead the 117-year-old institution, which has
Connecticut State University Board of Trustees approve an
almost 12,000 students and one of the largest graduate
administrative sabbatical for her beginning June 1, 2010.
programs in New England. Prior to being named
This sabbatical leave would allow her to engage in research
Southern’s president, Norton was the provost at
on K-12 education reform, in
Metropolitan State College of
which she has a strong per-
Denver, the nation’s largest
sonal interest.
urban public baccalaureate college.
“It has been a privilege
She holds two mas-
for me to be president of
ter’s degrees and a doctorate
Southern. The excellence of our faculty, the professionalism
in applied physiology from
of our staff, and the vibrancy of
Columbia University and was
our students make this a uni-
named a Fellow of the
versity to be proud of,” Norton
American College of Sports
says. “I have learned much
Medicine for her contributions
from our campus community,
to the field. In Connecticut,
and I believe that together we
she was honored with a Lilly
have helped Southern make
Award for her achievements in, and contributions to, high-
great strides as an institution.”
er education. Norton also
During Norton’s tenure, which commenced April 30,
received the Connecticut
2004, a $260 million construc-
Woman in Leadership Award
tion program has revitalized
in 2008 from the Women and
the campus, full-time enroll-
Family Center and recently was named a Woman of Note
ment has reached record levels, and innovative program-
President Cheryl J. Norton
by the New Haven Symphony
ming has been introduced to support student achievement
for her “steadfast vision, exceptional contribution, and
in and out of the classroom.
enduring commitment to our community.” Norton also
Norton has also focused on campuswide “greening”
serves on the NCAA Division II Presidents’ Council.
and sustainability initiatives, and was a signatory to the Commitment. In addition, she has worked to position
Center to Address Needs of Students with Autism
Southern as a community resource for the region and the
A generous donation and a fed-
American College & University Presidents’ Climate
state through initiatives such as the university’s new Center
n
eral allocation have given the newly cre-
on Autism Spectrum Disorders, which was established to
ated Center on Autism Spectrum
improve the educational experiences of children diagnosed
Disorders a significant boost as it begins
with a form of autism. “Soon after I arrived on campus in 2004, I said that this university was ‘strong in its roots and rich in its history,
its mission to improve the educational experience for children with the devel-
Dorothy Goodwin, ‘39
opmental disorder. The center was
with unlimited potential for the future,’” Norton says. “I
launched in February with a celebration held in the Michael
know that Southern will continue to move forward and
J. Adanti Student Center Grand Ballroom.
2 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE