President Janet Holmgren will begin her final year at Mills College on a three-month sabbatical.
According to Dr. Ramon S. Torrecilha, executive vice president and temporary acting head of the college, Holmgren will be on leave from Aug. 1 to Nov. 8, returning briefly to take part in a handful of college events such as Convocation and Reunion.
“The president’s contract provides for a scheduled sabbatical leave which was approved by the Board of Trustees,” said Torrecilha, who noted that his appointment as acting head has been approved by the Board of Trustees and abides by the school’s bylaws.
According to Marianne Sheldon, a professor of history at Mills, the administration and faculty knew in advance about President Holmgren’s sabbatical this fall and prepared for her absence.
“Everything is absolutely under control,” said Sheldon.
Staff and administration believe that the fall semester will unfold properly despite her absence.
“If there were an emergency that required her attention, we can reach her easily,” said Dr. Sandra Greer, provost and dean of the faculty. “We in the Office of the Provost expect that the schedule of events will continue to flow smoothly. I believe that such a leave had been in the works for some time, but she had not been able to take advantage of the option until now.”
