Her predecessor at Smith, Mary Maples Dunn, who is now the acting dean of the Radcliffe Institute of Advanced Study, said she was happy to see a second woman at the helm of an Ivy League school. (Judith Rodin is the president of the University of Pennsylvania.)

"It was about time for that to happen," Dunn said. "Us Smith folks like to think of ourselves as her springboard."

Simmons received a warm welcome in her first appearance at Brown.

After her news conference, Simmons delivered an address to Brown students in which she spoke about values, student aid and faculty resources. Kwoka said Simmons was "soft-spoken" and an excellent speaker.

Smith sophomore Nancy A. Martira also said Simmons was an outstanding orator--and an accessible president.

At Smith, Martira said, Simmons is known affectionately by her first name, and when she speaks, Smith students often greet her by chanting it.

"She makes herself that approachable. It's definitely in terms of endearment and familiarity, certainly not out of disrespect," Martira said.

Martira said students at Smith are sorry to see "the most respected person on campus" go.

"The big joke over here is that we don't have a president," she said. "We don't have a president of the nation and we don't have a president of the school."

According to Martira, students were notified of Simmons' decision Thursday morning in two separate letters. But rumors were already flying around Smith by election night. On Wednesday, the Brown Daily Herald broke the story.

"The fact that it all came together was really kind of bewildering. Most people were still confused and upset about the election," Martira said. "There's a lot of hurt feelings on campus but I can't really blame her."

Brown's Corporation voted unanimously in favor of Simmons' selection in a special meeting Thursday afternoon.

Sheila Blumstein, a highly regarded professor of cognitive and linguistic science, has been serving as Brown's interim president. She will return to teaching and research upon Simmons' arrival.

Simmons serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Carnegie Corporation of New York, where Brown's 16th president, Vartan Gregorian, currently serves as president.

"I believe the curiosity, insight, discipline and intelligence she has shared with us as an active member of our board will make a difference at Brown for the students, faculty and administration," Gregorian said in a statement.

Brown Chancellor Stephen Robert, who chaired the search committee, also praised Simmons.

"It is no surprise that she has emerged as a national spokesperson for liberal education and for the ethic of civic responsibility," he said. "Dr. Simmons inspires trust and confidence and exudes personal warmth and strength of character."

--Staff writer Vasugi V. Ganeshananthan can be reached at vganesh@fas.harvard.edu.