live entertainment and desserts such as "Cappy candy bars", a cotton candy wall and a chocolate fondue fountain. Hill highlighted her primary goal as improving affordability and access, and also, as she said at one of her first gatherings with students, to "articulate and build a consensus around a vision of an institution." In one of the most notable events in Vassar's history, Hill returned the school to a need-blind admission policy, which ensures that the financial need of an applicant will not be a criterion considered in the admissions process. When she first became president, Hill made clear that of her priorities for Vassar's future, a robust financial aid program would be paramount. Hill announced the decision to go need-blind during her remarks at Vassar's 2007 Commencement ceremony. Under Hill's leadership, Vassar has also replaced loans with grants in financial aid for low-income families, in further efforts to increase access to higher education. Hill announced in late March 2016 that she intended to step down from the presidency after the 2016–2017 academic year. Near the start of what was to be her final academic year as Vassar's president, Hill announced on July 20, 2016, that she would not be serving as president through the summer of 2017, but would instead be leaving Vassar three weeks later on August 15, 2016. References Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Williams College alumni Alumni of Brasenose College, Oxford Yale University alumni Williams College faculty Presidents of Vassar College Harvard Institute for International Development