In a student press conference with both The Observer and The Fordham Ram on Feb. 23, President-elect Tania Tetlow discussed the transition between presidencies, her status as the first laywoman president at Fordham and her priorities once she assumes office. She also talked about bringing Fordham’s “First Family” to campus and how they will interact with students.

What really drew you to Fordham and made you decide to leave Loyola University in New Orleans and come here? 

Tetlow explained that she felt a personal connection to Fordham because her parents met there when they were graduate students. Growing up, Tetlow noted that there was always a picture on the wall of her dad in his Fordham Ph.D. robes holding her and her sister on the steps of Keating Hall. She mentioned that the picture was reminiscent of how amazing the place is. 

“This just being an opportunity, I could not turn down – to be part of something so relevant to the world,” she said. “This felt like a moment, as the problems of the world just get more and more critical and disrupted, that I really want to know that I tried as hard as I could to matter.”

The president-elect added that Fordham has the capacity to help. She wants to be a part of finding the solutions to the world’s critical problems and to be involved with the engine of opportunity for students who will go out and do that work as well.

“Once I get there, I will be doing the work that every good leader should do at the beginning which is spending an awful (lot of) time listening.” President-elect Tania Tetlow

This is the first new president that the university has had in nearly two decades, and it is a historic one. How do you plan to guarantee a smooth transition heading into the next year?

Tetlow noted that the university has prepared lots of materials and memos for her to read in order to ensure a smooth transition. She added that these materials help her dive into the data and facts to understand the university’s culture. 

“Once I get there, I will be doing the work that every good leader should do at the beginning which is spending an awful (lot of) time listening,” she said. 

Upon her arrival, Tetlow hopes to hear from all of the university’s constituencies about existing issues in order to differentiate which ones can be addressed quickly and which ones are more representative of long-term goals. She also hopes to hear about the efforts that Fordham is already making. 

“(There are) so many people to meet, to know, to hear. It takes a lot of time.” Tania Tetlow

The president-elect noted that she wants to listen to students, faculty and staff so that they can help her understand what is crucial very quickly.

“(There are) so many people to meet, to know, to hear. It takes a lot of time,” Tetlow added.

You will be the first “First Family” at Fordham ever. In what ways do you see your family being involved in university life? 

The “First Family” includes her husband Gordon Stewart; their 9-year-old daughter; her stepson; and the family’s golden retriever, Archie. Tetlow said that her stepson currently lives in Scotland with his mother and will be visiting periodically. He is most excited about touring the athletic facilities here at Fordham as well as seeing the campus itself. 

Tetlow said her daughter loves going to student events with her after school; she described her daughter’s attentiveness and said she asks her a lot of questions after the events are over. 

“My 9-year-old daughter really likes to feel ownership of the place, so you will see her around campus,” Tetlow said. “What she has promised me is that she is never going to leave me, and she will only go to college with me and have a desk next to my desk and hold my hand the whole time.”

The president-elect said her husband is eager to meet everyone and will be accompanying her to social events in order to build relationships with the community. Having been a consultant for higher education in the U.K., her husband has been a great partner to problem solve with throughout this process, according to Tetlow.

Tetlow noted that the family is running into an issue with Fordham’s policy on animals regarding being able to bring their dog Archie to campus.

“I have a very adorable golden retriever, but I understand that dogs are not allowed on campus, so we are going to have to maybe take a vote if Archie can petition the campus community about whether he should be allowed or not,” Tetlow said.

She joked that she could have Archie trained as an emotional support dog, but she finds it hard to imagine him being well-behaved since he is currently just a puppy.

Is there anything you had success with at Loyola, or at previous schools, that you would like to explore replicating at Fordham? 

“I feel really good about the work I have done at both campuses (Tulane University and Loyola University New Orleans) on diversity, equity and inclusion,” Tetlow said. “That work is entirely incomplete; it is always incomplete, and there is so much more to do.”

The president-elect said she was eager to dig into ways that the university can constantly improve on those issues, ranging from asking questions about how Fordham acts as a major employer, contractor and citizen of the community to how inclusive the community feels to students.

Under Tetlow’s presidency at Loyola, the enrollment rate increased by 11%. She also welcomed the most diverse first-year class in the university’s history in the fall of 2021. Tetlow mentioned Fordham’s diversity in areas of race and class as one thing that attracted her to the university and hopes to continue making progress. 

“How do we create a community at Fordham that is different from the world outside of Fordham in terms of the respect and culture that it takes to not have that kind of violence happen as often as it happens on every college campus?” Tania Tetlow

Tetlow said how Fordham provides academic excellence — not just serving the most privileged but about serving everyone — is critical to the university’s values as a Jesuit institution.

In addition to diversity, equity and inclusion, the president-elect noted that issues of sexual assault and domestic violence are the second area of interest she has cared about in her career. 

“These are not issues that can entirely be solved,” she said. “They are incredibly complicated, difficult and painful.”

Tetlow posed questions regarding how Fordham can make a difference and is eager to dig into that work alongside improvements in areas of diversity, equity and inclusion.

“How do we create a community at Fordham that is different from the world outside of Fordham in terms of the respect and culture that it takes to not have that kind of violence happen as often as it happens on every college campus?” she asked.

“I want to do absolutely everything I am capable of to help Fordham succeed.” Tania Tetlow

Do you have any more personal goals as you make this huge transition in your career? 

Tetlow emphasized that she wants to look at the challenge ahead of her. She wants to do everything while being a person of integrity, feeling good about the relationships she has built and helping every member of the community.

“I mean, this is the goal, and I am so excited to be coming, and I want to do absolutely everything I am capable of to help Fordham succeed,” she said.

The president-elect said that she looks back on when her mom was a theology student at Fordham in the late ’60s and wonders what her mom would have thought about having a daughter who would someday end up being president of the university.

Aside from Santa Clara University, which has had an acting female president since March 2021, Fordham is the highest-ranking Catholic university with a female president.

“I find that an incredible honor that I take seriously,” Tetlow said. 

The president-elect said she is looking forward to coming to campus and hopes to welcome the Class of 2026 in a world without constant COVID-19 restrictions. She wants to create a place to debate issues respectfully and hopes to have an environment for civil discourse that would support students in their learning. 

Allie Stofer and Erika Tulfo contributed additional reporting to this story.