Archbishop Sean P. O’Malley of Boston issued a written statement congratulating Glendon on her appointment.
“The many ways in which she has served the Church both locally and beyond serves as a testimony to her deep and active Catholic faith. May God continue to bless her and her work,” O’Malley wrote.
According to Dershowitz, Glendon is a “centrist conservative” who is committed to social justice.
“She’s always trying to find a way of making her life consistent with both her feelings for the church and her feelings on civil liberties,” Dershowitz said.
Glendon is replacing outgoing academy president Edmond Malinvaud of the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies in Paris.
Glendon could not be reached for comment yesterday.