Though Syracuse University Chancellor Nancy Cantor has been an administrator for a decade, she hasn’t forgotten her roots.

Before joining the administration at the University of Michigan in 1996, Cantor enjoyed a career as a professor of social psychology. She spoke about some of this research in Bowne Hall on Monday as part of a series of talks hosted by the women’s studies program.

A group of 32 women and four men gathered around a large conference table in the Honors Suite to hear about Cantor’s psychology work, which she said is still ongoing.

Linda Alcoff, director of the women’s studies program, introduced Cantor’s talk.

‘Dr. Cantor was a scholar -‘ she said, catching herself. ‘- Is a scholar.’

‘Excuse me!’ Cantor laughed.

In addition to being chancellor and president of SU, Cantor is listed as a distinguished professor of psychology and women’s studies. At Michigan where she once taught, a professorship carries her name.

Cantor said her work in psychology relates directly to the issues she’s dealt with in administration. In the various conflicts she’s seen during her time – from affirmative action battles at Michigan, the Chief Illiniwek controversy at Illinois and the HillTV/free speech debate on our own campus – she sees well-meaning people who often don’t understand the effect of their actions on others.

‘We rarely see how our freedoms come at a price for others’ freedoms,’ she said. ‘But they always come at a price for others.’

To a group of mostly psychology, philosophy and women’s studies professors, Cantor discussed the conflicts between insiders and outsiders in these situations.

To find common ground in these conflicts, it requires the insiders, those holding the power, to have the ’empathy of mind,’ to appreciate the experiences others face. It’s not an easy process, one that requires a great deal of self-reflection and examination. But throughout different experiences, you find yourself on both sides of the insider/outsider divide, she said.

‘When we are wearing our insider hat, we have such a hard time seeing the obstacles that (outsiders) face,’ she said.

Cantor could serve as a case-in-point for this insider/outsider duality. While she’s ascended to top posts at top universities throughout her career, it’s often come with the ‘first woman’ designation:

First woman to chair the psychology department at Princeton University.

First woman provost at Michigan.

First woman chancellor at the University of Illinois.

First woman chancellor at Syracuse.

Nate Allen, a former student trustee at Illinois (and Cantor supporter), and Roger Huddleston, the co-founder of the Honor the Chief Society (who opposed Cantor’s position on Chief Illiniwek), agreed Cantor faced a good deal of resistance and opposition simply because of her gender.

Cantor spoke frequently on how group stereotypes are reinforced unconsciously by insiders. She gave one example of a study where women who excelled in math were told they were taking a test to examine their aptitude in the subject; these women preformed markedly below women who weren’t told of the test’s purpose. She cited this as an example of how individuals play into stereotypes due to societal pressure.

The ongoing struggle for women and other groups to gain equal recognition in society was mentioned frequently by Cantor in her hour-long talk. Each reference was met by head nods from the audience.

She said insider groups often can’t appreciate the limited opportunities outsiders face. They doubt claims because they themselves don’t live with the same obstacles.

But for those who face these limitations every day, Cantor said there’s no doubt these limitations exist.

‘There’s nothing like pushing up against something to see that it’s real,’ Cantor said.

Published on April 16, 2006 at 12:00 pm