New York University School of Commerce - Commerce Violet Yearbook (New York, NY)

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AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS By A. JANATA, Arrirtafzl lo the Preridefzt Dr. Harry Woodburn Chase became President of the University of Illinois on july 5, 1930, after twenty years of service on the faculty of the University of North Carolina, the last ten as its President. He left the University of Illinois on July 11, 1933, to become Chancellor of New York University. Although his service at the University of Illinois was brief, it came during one of the most difiicult periods in the University's history, second in the present century only to the difficult conditions of the World War and the reconstruction period following. Like other institutions the University of Illinois suffered many losses during the war years, but by 1930 it was again in a very sound financial condition and had not only recovered lost ground but had made significant progress beyond its previous high stand- ing. Wlien President Chase came to the University of Illinois, it had not begun to feel the effects of the financial depression and during one normal year he made some of his' most notable contributions. ' The early months of his administration saw the completion of a plan, conceived several years ago, to create a new major division of the University, the College of Fine and Applied Arts, in which are now combined the work in Art and Design, Music, Architecture, and Landscape Architecture. During his second year the work in physical education for men and women, in hygiene, and in athletic coaching were combined into a new School of Physical Education. In his first year President Chase had a survey made of the University's educational and administrative organization, with the result that the administration of its educational divisions was reorganized, with more authority placed in the hands of the college facul- ties. Believing in the importance of making students responsible for many of their own affairs, Doctor Chase included in his program changes in policies relating to student affairs, which gave the students more responsibility A for student welfare and activities. Late in 1931 it became evident that the State of Illinois would not realize all of its anticipated revenues and would either have to borrow funds or curtail expenditures or both. Under the leader- ship of President Chase the University of Illinois immediately began to retrench in its operating expenditures, and as a result of its economies the institution left over 31,400,000 or twenty per cent of its appropriation for operations for 1931-33 un- expended, a capital appropriation of a like amount was also allowed to lapse. Thus the total savings were increased to thirty per cent. The University continued to cooperate with the state administra- tion by preparing a budget for 1933-35 which rep- resented even greater reductions. It was able to HONORFD BY LEGISLATURE make these reductions in ways which do not elimi- 14

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AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA By R. B. House, Executive Secretary Under the wise, informed, tolerant, but always vigorously progressive guidance of President Harry Woodburn Chase, the University of North Carolina in slightly more than a decade 0919-19501 expanded its plant by a capital investment of approximately six million dollars. Its maintenance funds increased from S217,000 a year to 3880,000 a year. Its student body increased from 1,028 to 2,825. Its faculty increased from 66 to 158. Specifically, twelve university departments, the Graduate Club, and the administrative offices were all housed in new buildings or in newly worked over build- ings. One of the most beautiful stadiums in the country was erected, and the whole expansion was capped by a magnificent library. A student union building, a memorial bell tower, and a new auditorium were begun. In its organization, divisions of student welfare, a School of Commerce, of Public Welfare, of Engineering, the Institute for Research in Social Science, and the University Press were added, and the Division of Extension was greatly increased. The salary scale of the faculty was more than doubled. Professor Ogg, in the volume entitled A Survey of Rerearrls in the Humewirlir and Social Scienrer, compiled by the American Council of Learned Societies, says: The leadership in the new research movement in the South is traceable to one institution and to certain men and women in it, namely, the University of North Carolina. The explanation of this leadership seems to lie in an unusually keen appre- ciation of the possibilities of service to the people of the state, in the presence in the faculty of many vigorous, ambitious, and productive scholars, and in liberal support of research interests by the administrative authorities, facilitated, no doubt, by the notable economic and industrial development which the state has of late experienced. This expansion and enrichment coincided almost exactly with the beginning of President Chase's administration in 1919. President Chase measured up fully to the responsibility and the opportunity which, unsought, were placed on his shoulders at a time when as a member of the faculty since 1910 he was enjoying distinction A won in the field of his own specialty, psychology. In 1918 he had already been promoted to the deanship of the College of Liberal Arts. President Chase gave himself with humility and consecration to the problems that confronted him and himself grew to distinction in the process he guided. The University is in part an achievement of his spirit, he is in part an achievement of the University's spirit. Norm-1 CAROLINA FAREWELL 13

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nate or seriously impair essential activities. Hence, the University was able to conserve fundamental values and is in a position to move forward again without loss of stride when conditions improve. It is significant that the General Assembly of Illinois not only appropriated the amount requested by the University for 1933-35, but the State Senate adopted a resolution commending the University for its voluntary economies, expressing confidence in its Board of Trustees, and urging generous financial support in the future so that the voluntary reductions made by it will not result in lasting injury to the Univer- sity. In the minds of many this resolution is the most promising declaration with regard to higher education made by any legislative assembly in the United States. The General Assembly of Illinois also adopted a resolution of appreciation of Doctor Chase's services to the State of Illinois in administering its University in such a commendable manner. AT NEW YORK UNIVERSITY By PHILIP O. BADGER, Arrirlanl fo the Cfbfznceflor By the resignation last year of our beloved Chancellor, Dr. Elmer Ellsworth Brown, who had guided the amazing progress of New York University for a period of twenty- two years, the Council of the University was faced with the exceedingly difiicult problem of selecting a new chancellor to become the eighth chief administrative ofhcer in the University's century of service to education. In the main the problem of selection was difiicult because of the unique character of New York University and because of the important position the University had come to occupy in the field of higher education in this country. The University's tremendous growth during Chancellor Brown's administration, the magnitude of its financial problem viewed from the standpoint of the lack of adequate endowment, its many ramifications and contacts with the complex life of the great city and state whose name it bears, as well as many other factors, called for the selection of a man of extremely broad vision, wide experience and indomitable courage. The University Council's choice of Dr. Harry Wloodburn Chase to fill our chan- cellorship met with instant acclamation and approval. It was recognized that he brought to our University the very qualities need- , , ed in this great post. He had had years of broad experience and success set against a happy background of New England birth and education, further enriched by training and experience gathered in the South and Mid-West in universities distinguished for their high educational standards and public service. As our University enters upon the second century of its activities faced with the problems of education made doubly difiicult by the present economic crisis, we are fortunate indeed in having as our leader, Harry Woodburn Chase. N. Y. U, CONVOCATION 15