Rebecca Blank steps down as president-elect at Northwestern University after cancer diagnosis

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Rebecca Blank, who had been elected last year to take over as the first woman president at Northwestern University, is stepping down as the school's president-elect, after she was diagnosed with cancer.

"I do not have the words to express to you how disappointed and sad I am to be telling you this. I was excited to be joining you at Northwestern, a world-class institution that is near and dear to my heart," Blank wrote in a message to the university. "As heartbreaking as this is for me, I take solace in knowing Northwestern is in great hands. Although I have not been on campus full-time, I have had the opportunity to talk with many campus leaders over the past eight months. It is clear that NU has tremendous leadership, outstanding faculty and staff, and a wonderful group of students."

Blank recently concluded an eight-year tenure as chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison in May, and had been set to succeed to succeed President Morton Schapiro as the president of Northwestern University. She was selected by the board of trustees in October.

But after being diagnosed with "an aggressive form of cancer," the university said "she plans to spend the coming weeks and months focusing on her health and family," and will return to the Madison area for her cancer treatment.

"I can speak for all of us in the leadership of the University of Wisconsin-Madison in saying that we're absolutely devastated by the news that Chancellor Emeritus Becky Blank has been diagnosed with cancer and will not be assuming the presidency of Northwestern University," said UW-Madison Provost and Interim Chancellor John Karl Scholz in a message to the UW-Madison community.

Before serving as chancellor at UW-Madison, Blank was on the faculty of the Economics Department at Northwestern from 1989 to 1999. She also served as director of the Joint Center for Poverty Research and co-director of the Northwestern/University of Chicago Interdisciplinary Training Program in Poverty, Race and Underclass Issues.

"I ask that all of us at Northwestern keep Becky in our thoughts," Schapiro said. "I will be offering prayers for healing at Shabbat services until her full recovery. She and her family will always be a part of the Northwestern family. May we all stand with her, Hanns and Emily at this incredibly difficult time."

Blank had been set to become the first woman president at Northwestern.

The board of trustees has asked Schapiro to stay on as president until a successor is named.

"I want to thank President Schapiro for agreeing to stay on as we search for Northwestern's next president," said J. Landis Martin, chairman of the university's board of trustees. "Morty has led Northwestern through an unprecedented period of growth over the past 13 years, and now has delayed his return to Southern California and new ventures in order to continue to serve the University community that he loves so dearly. We are all grateful."

Peter Barris, who led the search committee that unanimously recommended Blank to the board of trustees, will become the board's chairman in September, and will continue to lead the search for Northwestern's next president.

She also has served as deputy secretary of commerce and twice as the acting secretary of commerce under President Barack Obama.