Press enter after choosing selection

President Ruthven Guided University To Excellence

President Ruthven Guided University To Excellence image
Parent Issue
Day
20
Month
January
Year
1971
Copyright
Copyright Protected
Rights Held By
Donated by the Ann Arbor News. © The Ann Arbor News.
OCR Text

Dr. Alexander G. Ruthven, I University of Michigan I president-emeritus who died J Tuesday at his home at 2900 ■ Fuller Rd., served as head of ' the University longer than any of its nine past presidents : ! except James B . Angelí. Ruthven, the U-M's seventh ë president, ' served 22 years, - from Í929 to 1951, while Angelí, its third president, served 38 years from 1871 to 1909. However, Angeli's term of office was twice intervupted by government service while Ruthven's presidency was without interruption. During his term of of f ico, Ruthven .saw the University more than doublé in size, with s I u (1 e ïcimilL increasing from 9,688 to a peak of 21,363 in 1949, 'wo years prior to his retirement. In this period, highlighted by the greatest depths of depression the nation ever experienced, World War II, and economie boom, the U-M's plant investment increased from $35,221,708 to $90,766,'eO6, i t s legislative appropriations rose from $4,608,283, and its endowments increased from $4,608,283 to $25,411,742. The faculty increased from 745 to 1,307. Ruthven, probably more than anyone else, was responsible for the phenomenal i growth of the University and its emergence as a leading I institution of higher education I in terms of administrative I excellence. He appointed the I first vice presidents for busI iness, educational investigaI tions and university relations, I named the first director of I plant extensión, and__streanv_ lined the adminlstrative fl tion of the University with ■ delegation of authority. But even though hel achieved nationwide I tion as an able administrator, I he had attained distinction as I a scientist long before he took I over the presidency. Far from being an ■ chair" variety of scientist, I Ruthven, as professor of I ogy and director of the U-M ■ Museum of Zoology, had led ■ 18 field expeditions I out the nation and in South I America and had publishei I 128 scientific papers before I becoming president, and is I credited with building the I U-M museum into one of the 1 foremost of its kind. Through his efforts the ■ sent museums building at N. ■ University and Washtenaw I was built and its s'tatus raised I from a second rate facility to I a first class museum with I public exhibits and research I programs, B His interest in nature and wildlife began when he was a boy in his native Iowa, riding a cowpony over the prairie. This interest in riding horses and uncovering the mysteries of nature continued throughout his life as his "first love." He imported Morgan I horses from Vermont to his I two horse farms in this area and maintained them up until the time of his death. Ruthven also was fond of I his students and h i g h 1 y I respected by them. His willI ingness to talk with students I at any time, however, once I almost cost him his life. Prof.-Emeritus A. D. Moore I of the U-M electrical engiI neering department t e 1 1 s I about the time a disgruntled I coed carne to Ruthven's E office and asked to see the I president. Not being one to I turn down any student, the 1 former U-M president askedl I the young woman in and motioned her to a seat, whereupon she opened up her purse, took out a pistol, pointed it at Ruthven's head and announced she was going to kill him. When asked why the young woman said because a certain professor was going to give her a failing grade. Ruthven is reported to have calmly reminded the girl that it was not he who was failing her, so she put the gun back in her purse and headed for the office of the accused professor with the former president having her apprehended on the way. Ruthven constantly battled state legislators who thought students should assume a larger part of the expense of running the University through increased tuition. In an article he wrote for the Journal of the Michigan State I Medical Society in 1955 folI lowing retirement he said I that colleges and universities I should charge no student fees Ibecause "the education of I college students is as much a I public responsibility as is the I teaching of pre-college boys I and girls." I Ruthven also left his mark Ion the community of Ann lArbor. Ruthven PI. just off BhüI near Cambridge was Hnamed after him when it was ■ opened in 1952, and Ruthven Bpark on Fuller bears his - ■=- - ■ name. He had been active in many civic affairs and served as a director of the Ann Arbor Trust Co. until the time of his death. The U-M president-emeritus had been awarded honorary doctorates by 15 U.S. and foreign colleges and universities, was a member of 16 professional societies and organizations in this country and abroad, and had been honored by a number of foreign coun tries. He had served on the board of directors of the Cranbrook Institute of Science, the board of the Lincoln National Life Insurance Co., the Morgan Horse Club board of directors, and others. In 1938 he was decorated with the Blue Grand Cordon of the Order of Brilliant Jade by China. Ruthven's death at the age of 88 marks the end of a milestone in higher education of which he was a foremost symbol. __mmMMMBim