Benjamin Ladner
Encyclopedia
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
) is an academic
Academia
Academia is the community of students and scholars engaged in higher education and research.-Etymology:The word comes from the akademeia in ancient Greece. Outside the city walls of Athens, the gymnasium was made famous by Plato as a center of learning...
expert in the fields of philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
and religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
. He was president of the National Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Sciences from 1980–1994 and American University
American University
American University is a private, Methodist, liberal arts, and research university in Washington, D.C. The university was chartered by an Act of Congress on December 5, 1892 as "The American University", which was approved by President Benjamin Harrison on February 24, 1893...
from 1994-2005.
His areas of professional interest and research are international relations and the role of higher education; education administration; religion and contemporary culture; and NCAA collegiate athletics.
He was previously married to Carolyn Cooper, with whom he had two sons, David and Mark, and later remarried to Nancy Bullard.
Education
Ladner attended Murphy High School in Mobile followed by undergraduate study at Baylor UniversityBaylor University
Baylor University is a private, Christian university located in Waco, Texas. Founded in 1845, Baylor is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.-History:...
, receiving his Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1963. Ladner earned a Bachelor of Divinity
Bachelor of Divinity
In Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology or, rarely, religious studies....
from Southern Seminary
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary , located in Louisville, Kentucky, is the oldest of the six seminaries affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention . The seminary was founded in 1859, at Greenville, South Carolina. After being closed during the Civil War, it moved in 1877 to Louisville...
in 1966 and his Doctor of Philosophy from Duke University in 1970. His dissertation was on "Elizabeth Sewell: Poetic Method As An Instrument of Thinking and Knowing".
Ladner has also been awarded doctorates from Elizabethtown College
Elizabethtown College
Elizabethtown College is a small comprehensive college located in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania in Lancaster County. The school was founded in 1899 by members of the Church of the Brethren...
, Sookmyung Women's University
Sookmyung Women's University
Sookmyung Women’s University is a private university in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea. Founded in 1906, Sookmyung is Korea’s first royal private educational institution for women.- History :...
(South Korea) and Tashkent State Economic University (Uzbekistan).
Career
Ladner began his academic career as a professorProfessor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of philosophy and religion at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro , also known as UNC Greensboro, is a public university in Greensboro, North Carolina, United States and is a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina system. The university offers more than 100 undergraduate, 61 master's and 26...
where he taught for more than a decade. While there, Ladner won the University Teaching Excellence Award and was elected to the National Faculty of Arts, Humanities, and Sciences in 1975, an association of university professors founded by Phi Beta Kappa. He served as its president from 1980-1994.
In 1994, Ladner became president of American University. By the time of his departure in 2005, the school had become, according to Ladner's own LinkedIn profile, an international leader in global education and Ladner’s administration had engineered historic records in every area throughout the university, including academic quality, national educational rankings, athletic championships, fundraising, endowment growth, enrollment numbers and quality, campus renovation, diversity of students, technology innovation, and faculty, and alumni support.
Bylined Articles
Ladner has authored the following articles:- The Sanford Saga - Enough http://www.thestate.com/editorial-columns/story/849475.html The State, July 2, 2009.
- Intellectual bridge over troubled political water http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storyCode=152802§ioncode=26 Times of Higher Education, July 28, 2000.
- No reason to be cynical of ‘celebrity'http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/stories/2008/09/16/ladnered_0916.html Atlanta Journal-Constitution, September 16, 2008.
- Why do Ideas Illuminate? http://jaar.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/pdf_extract/XLII/4/739 Journal of the American Academy of Religion 1974 XLII(4):739-745.
Speeches
- Speech on "Solidarity" at the UN Conference on Human Settlement in Istanbul, Turkey, June 3–14, 1996 http://www.newswithviews.com/BeritKjos/kjos92.htm#_ftn2.
- Speech on the "The Pathology of Excellence" at Baylor University's Honors Program fifth annual Harry and Anna Jeanes Academic Honors Convocation in Waco, Texas, April 22, 1997 http://www.baylor.edu/pr/news.php?action=story&story=1687.
- Opening Address at the 20th Congress of the Czechoslovak Society of Arts and Sciences in Washington, DC, August 9, 2000 http://www.svu2000.org/whatwedo/olander.htm.
- Opening Address at HSBC Bank USAs 4th annual Philanthropy Forum in New York, New York, October 10, 2001 http://www.hsbcusa.com/ourcompany/bankarchives/bk2001/news_hbarch100901.html.
American University
Ladner was appointed President of, and professor of philosophy and religion at, American University in 1994. His appointment is credited with bringing stability to the University after a period of turmoil and rapid turnover of presidents. During his tenure, the University experienced financial and academic growth, along with recognition as a leading international university, that partnered with and helped found new universities around the world. The main thrust of Ladner's leadership was defined in a "15 point plan" in 2001, which was approved by faculty, staff and the board.During his tenure at AU president, Ladner chaired the Board of Trustee
Trustee
Trustee is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, can refer to any person who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the benefit of another...
s of the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area
Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area
The Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area serves as an intellectual resource for the students and faculty of the member universities in the greater Washington, DC metropolitan area....
, the Patriot League Council of Presidents, and served on numerous other boards and commissions including the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the Washington Board of Trade, and the Committee for Economic Development, the Commission on International Education for the American Council on Education, among others.
He was also a member of the Federal Election Reform Commission, co-chaired by Jimmy Carter and James Baker; the NCAA Presidential Task Force on the Future of Intercollegiate Athletics; and a United Nations Advisory Group Member and Manuscript Reviewer for the ground-breaking Arab Human Development Report, 2002.
In 2003, Ladner fired Susan Clampitt as the head of university-owned WAMU
WAMU
WAMU is a public radio station that services the greater Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The station broadcasts on 88.5 FM, online at wamu.org, and on HD Radio at 88.5-HD1, 2 and 3. WAMU is on-air 24 hours a day. It is licensed to American University, and its studios are located near the campus...
, due to donor and staff outrage at fiscal mismanagement of the NPR
NPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
affiliate. Clampitt later sued both Ladner and the University, claiming that Ladner had approved all of her financial decisions, which depleted a $4 million endowment for the station. The Court of Appeals subsequently denied Clampitt's employment-related claims.
Work Abroad
Ladner helped secure the release of individuals jailed for human rights protests and activities in the Palestinian Terrortories (West Bank) and Burma (Mayamar). Additionally, he led a series of face-to-face talks between Israeli and Palestinian leaders in Ramallah, Jerusalem, and Washington, DC in 2003-2004.In 2001, Ladner negotiated with the Chinese government
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
for the release of Gao Zhan
Gao Zhan
Gao Zhan is a researcher who worked at the American University in Washington, DC. In 2001, the government of the People's Republic of China detained her for 166 days on the grounds that she was spying for Taiwan...
, after she was held while being charged as a spy for the United States. Later, it was discovered that Zhan was actually a spy for the People's Republic of China, and she was charged with tax fraud and espionage by the United States but charges were dismissed and she was placed in protective custody after she participated in a CIA operation.
Under Ladner's leadership, American University
American University
American University is a private, Methodist, liberal arts, and research university in Washington, D.C. The university was chartered by an Act of Congress on December 5, 1892 as "The American University", which was approved by President Benjamin Harrison on February 24, 1893...
expanded its reach aboard after being selected as the primary contracting institution to develop and manage two new universities, on in the United Arab Emirates UAE and the other in Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
.
The Nigerian university, originally known as ABTI-American University (AAUN) and now called the American University of Nigeria (AUN), attracts students from all over Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and around the world seeking an American style education. Unlike most universities in the country, AAUN offers a four-year undergraduate degree program divided among two years of general study followed by two of concentrated study in a major. This differs from most Nigerian universities which follow the British model in which students take classes only in their major.
"We envision that AUN
Aun
Ane, On, One, Auchun or Aun the Old , English: Edwin, was a mythical Swedish king of the House of Yngling, the ancestors of Norway's first king, Harald Fairhair...
will become a model for American-style education in one of the African continent's most important countries," American University President Benjamin Ladner said.
In the UAE, American University established the American University of Sharjah (AUS), which his Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qassimi, Member of the Supreme Council, Ruler of Sharjah and Founder and President of AUS, commended for its successful growth.
“His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah congratulated the faculty, staff and management for the university’s rapid growth and for the academic reputation AUS has earned in the region,” AUS Chancellor Dr. Winfred Thompson said.
Resignation from presidency of American University
Ladner came under increasing criticism for his high salary, lavish lifestyle, and his frequent travels to visit partnering universities throughout the world.The website BenLadner.com was created by students at the University in 2002 to highlight these criticisms, specifically Ladner's salary. In September 2004, Ladner filed a complaint with ICANN
ICANN
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers is a non-profit corporation headquartered in Marina del Rey, California, United States, that was created on September 18, 1998, and incorporated on September 30, 1998 to oversee a number of Internet-related tasks previously performed directly...
, alleging that the website's prominent use of his name caused confusion for visitors, causing them to believe it to be his own personal website. ICANN ruled against Ladner, refusing to remove the domain name
Domain name
A domain name is an identification string that defines a realm of administrative autonomy, authority, or control in the Internet. Domain names are formed by the rules and procedures of the Domain Name System ....
because Ladner's name had no commercial value.
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
reported on the opening of an investigation by the American University Board of Trustees into Dr Ladner's expenses. An anonymous letter to the board, later revealed to be from Ladner's fired driver Reginald Green, alleged that Ladner had improperly used University funds for personal expenses. Ladner was placed on administrative leave by the Board pending the outcome of the investigation. On August 25, he was suspended from his post. On October 10, 2005, The Board of Trustees of American University announced that he would not return to American University as its president. The Board upheld the accusations of excessive use of university money for private spending. However some board members still believe that Dr. Ladner was wrongly accused. While Dr. Ladner was never criminally accused of anything, the federal investigation is ongoing.
Ladner was given a $3.75 million severance package, causing two trustees to resign.
Former and current trustees, as well as current faculty and administrators, were called to testify at a March 2006 hearing by the U.S. Senate Finance Committee investigating fraud at nonprofit organizations.http://media.www.theeagleonline.com/media/storage/paper666/news/2006/03/06/News/U.s-Senate.Seeks.Au.Input.On.Governance.Reform-1656010.shtml
On April 1, 2006, Harry Jaffe wrote an article published in the Washingtonian
Washingtonian (magazine)
Washingtonian is a monthly magazine distributed in the Washington, DC area since 1965. The magazine describes itself as "the magazine Washington lives by." The magazine's core focuses are local feature journalism, guide book-style articles, and real estate advice.-Editorial Content:Washingtonian...
summarizing Ladner's reign and fall at AU, detailing expenses and the board of trustees' tussle in support and against the president of AU, including attorneys advice that there was no enforceable contract and that Ladner was terminated for "cause or dishonesty".
External links
- Hundreds Rally to Protest Ladner - The Eagle, 29 September 2005
- AU President's Expenses Examined - Washington Post, 3 August 2005
- Ben Ladner's Years of Living Lavishly - Washingtonian.com, 1 April 2006
- Deconstructing a Man of Contrasts - WashingtonPost.com, 17 October 2005