University President Judith Rodin: From student leader to just leader

But in the ensuing years, Rodin has been faced some criticism for not spending enough time talking to students and failing to understand or follow through on their concerns. Rodin has maintained a high national profile during her time at Penn. She has served on several presidential commissions, and some rumors had President Clinton naming her to his second-term Cabinet before Trustees Chairperson Roy Vagelos dispelled them. NBC Nightly News named her one of its Newsmakers of the Year in 1996 with a long feature in December. She has concentrated her administration on improving undergraduate education at Penn, as well as restructuring the University's administrative and bureaucratic hierarchy. Soon after her tenure began, the administration released a broad 21st Century Report that gave a variety of recommendations for improving undergraduate education in all realsm. Most of its recommendations were incorporated into the five-year strategic plan she released the next year, called the Agenda for Excellence. During her three years at Penn, Rodin has spearheaded several major fundraising efforts geared towards both alumni and various levels of the state, local and national governments. Administrators, faculty and alumni have praised her for her leadership and fundraising skills. Before joining Penn, Rodin had served as Yale University's provost, where her responsibilities included educational policy, budgetary and administrative issues. A specialist in the fields of eating disorders and aging, Rodin is also a Psychology professor and taught a freshman seminar on body image last fall. Her official residence, Eisenlohr Hall, is located at 38th and Walnut streets, and hosts many University functions. A native of Philadelphia, Rodin attended the Philadelphia Girls High School and graduated from Penn's College for Women in 1966. During her years at the University, Rodin was president of the Women's Student Government, and forged a close friendship with her counterpart in the male student government -- Ed Rendell, now the mayor of Philadelphia. In her senior year, Rodin played a key role in merging the two bodies into a unified student government. Rodin, 52, is married to former American Automobiles Association President Paul Verkuil and has a 15-year-old-son, Alex Niejelow, from a previous marriage. Verkuil is now a professor at Yeshiva University's Cardozo School of Law in New York City. Rodin has published more than 200 articles in academic journals and authored or co-authored 10 books, most notably Body Traps, which was published in 1992. Rodin has also served as president of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, the Eastern Psychological Association and the Division of Health Psychology of the American Psychological Association.