1967, graduate, Dillard University, New Orleans; 1973, PhD in Romance Languages and Literatures, Harvard University; 1983, Associate Dean, Graduate School, University of Southern California; 1983, joined the Princeton administration; 1990, Provost, Spelman College; 1992-95, Vice-Provost, Princeton; concurrently, deputy to the Provost and Executive Secretary, Priorities Committee, Princeton; 1995-2001, President, Smith College. Since 2001, President and Professor, Department of Comparative Literature and Department of Africana Studies, Brown University. Member: National Academy of Arts and Sciences; American Philosophical Society; Council on Foreign Relations. Member of the Board: Texas Instruments; Goldman Sachs Group. Recipient of 31 honorary degrees.