Carl Hovde
Encyclopedia
Carl Frederick Hovde was an American
educator who from 1968 until 1972 was the Dean of Columbia College, the undergraduate division of Columbia University
. In that position, he served an important role in restoring order and calm on the campus after the six-week long student protests in spring 1968
that had been led by the Students for a Democratic Society
.
on October 11, 1926. His father, Bryn Hovde, was president of the New School for Social Research from 1945 to 1950. He enlisted in the United States Army
in 1944 after graduating from high school and served in the European Theater of Operations
during World War II
. After completing his military service, he attended Columbia College, graduating with a bachelor's degree in philosophy in 1950. He was awarded a Ph.D. from Princeton University
in 1955. He began his academic career with a position at The Ohio State University.
after being nominated by a committee composed of administrators and faculty members.
The students protests had begun in April 1968 in response to plans by Columbia to construct a gym in Morningside Park that was opposed by Harlem
residents and by disclosures of university ties to the Institute for Defense Analyses
, a weapons research think-tank connected with the United States Department of Defense
. Several buildings on the campus were taken over, with windows damaged and files destroyed by student protesters. Police cleared out and arrested on charges of criminal trespassing a group of 700 students, but the protests persisted for weeks.
At the start of the protests, Hovde served on a faculty group that established a joint committee composed of administrators, faculty and students that established recommendations for addressing disciplinary action for the students involved in the protests. Once he was appointed as dean, Hovde stated that he felt that the "sit-ins and the demonstrations were not without cause" and opposed criminal charges being filed against the students by the university, though he did agree that the protesters "were acting with insufficient cause".
Hovde served as dean when the core curriculum
underwent fundamental changes. Following his tenure as dean, the Columbia Daily Spectator
credited Hovde with having "sought to quietly guide the college, not to rule it; to use the force of persuasion and reason, not the blunt power of authority". He later was a professor of English
emeritus after a career as a longtime teacher of literature humanities. He received the Great Teacher Award from the Society of Columbia Graduates in 1975. After his retirement in 1995 he served as chair of the Friends of the Heyman Center and also is a member of the Society of Senior Scholars. Professor Hovde received the Award for Distinguished Service to the Core Curriculum in 1997-1998.
. He was survived by his wife, Bertha Betts, two daughters, a son and four grandchildren. He had divorced his first wife, the former Jane Norris.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
educator who from 1968 until 1972 was the Dean of Columbia College, the undergraduate division of Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
. In that position, he served an important role in restoring order and calm on the campus after the six-week long student protests in spring 1968
Columbia University protests of 1968
The Columbia University protests of 1968 were among the many student demonstrations that occurred around the world in that year. The Columbia protests erupted over the spring of that year after students discovered links between the university and the institutional apparatus supporting the United...
that had been led by the Students for a Democratic Society
Students for a Democratic Society (1960 organization)
Students for a Democratic Society was a student activist movement in the United States that was one of the main iconic representations of the country's New Left. The organization developed and expanded rapidly in the mid-1960s before dissolving at its last convention in 1969...
.
Early life and education
Hovde was born in Meadville, PennsylvaniaMeadville, Pennsylvania
Meadville is a city in and the county seat of Crawford County, Pennsylvania, United States. The city is generally considered part of the Pittsburgh Tri-State and is within 40 miles of Erie, Pennsylvania. It was the first permanent settlement in northwest Pennsylvania...
on October 11, 1926. His father, Bryn Hovde, was president of the New School for Social Research from 1945 to 1950. He enlisted in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
in 1944 after graduating from high school and served in the European Theater of Operations
European Theater of Operations
The European Theater of Operations, United States Army was a United States Army formation which directed U.S. Army operations in parts of Europe from 1942 to 1945. It referred to Army Ground Forces, United States Army Air Forces, and Army Service Forces operations north of Italy and the...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. After completing his military service, he attended Columbia College, graduating with a bachelor's degree in philosophy in 1950. He was awarded a Ph.D. from Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
in 1955. He began his academic career with a position at The Ohio State University.
Columbia University
Hovde joined the Columbia University faculty in 1960 as a professor of comparative English literature. He was appointed as the dean of Columbia College in July 1968 under a process designed to assuage students in the wake of the recent protests, in which he was approved by Columbia President Grayson L. KirkGrayson L. Kirk
Grayson Louis Kirk was president of Columbia University during the Columbia University protests of 1968. He was also a Professor of Government, advisor to the State Department, and instrumental in the formation of the United Nations.-Early life:Kirk was born to a farmer and schoolteacher in...
after being nominated by a committee composed of administrators and faculty members.
The students protests had begun in April 1968 in response to plans by Columbia to construct a gym in Morningside Park that was opposed by Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
residents and by disclosures of university ties to the Institute for Defense Analyses
Institute for Defense Analyses
The Institute for Defense Analyses is a non-profit corporation that administers three federally funded research and development centers to assist the United States government in addressing important national security issues, particularly those requiring scientific and technical expertise...
, a weapons research think-tank connected with the United States Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
. Several buildings on the campus were taken over, with windows damaged and files destroyed by student protesters. Police cleared out and arrested on charges of criminal trespassing a group of 700 students, but the protests persisted for weeks.
At the start of the protests, Hovde served on a faculty group that established a joint committee composed of administrators, faculty and students that established recommendations for addressing disciplinary action for the students involved in the protests. Once he was appointed as dean, Hovde stated that he felt that the "sit-ins and the demonstrations were not without cause" and opposed criminal charges being filed against the students by the university, though he did agree that the protesters "were acting with insufficient cause".
Hovde served as dean when the core curriculum
Core Curriculum
The Core Curriculum was originally developed as the main curriculum used by Columbia University's Columbia College. It began in 1919 with "Contemporary Civilization," about the origins of western civilization. It became the framework for many similar educational models throughout the United States...
underwent fundamental changes. Following his tenure as dean, the Columbia Daily Spectator
Columbia Daily Spectator
Columbia Daily Spectator is the daily student newspaper of Columbia University. It is published at 112th and Broadway in New York, New York. Founded in 1877, it is the oldest continuously operating college news daily in the nation after The Harvard Crimson, and has been legally independent of the...
credited Hovde with having "sought to quietly guide the college, not to rule it; to use the force of persuasion and reason, not the blunt power of authority". He later was a professor of English
English studies
English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S.,...
emeritus after a career as a longtime teacher of literature humanities. He received the Great Teacher Award from the Society of Columbia Graduates in 1975. After his retirement in 1995 he served as chair of the Friends of the Heyman Center and also is a member of the Society of Senior Scholars. Professor Hovde received the Award for Distinguished Service to the Core Curriculum in 1997-1998.
Death
Hovde died at age 82 of lung cancer on September 5, 2009 at his home in New Canaan, ConnecticutNew Canaan, Connecticut
New Canaan is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States, northeast of Stamford, on the Fivemile River. The population was 19,738 according to the 2010 census.The town is one of the most affluent communities in the United States...
. He was survived by his wife, Bertha Betts, two daughters, a son and four grandchildren. He had divorced his first wife, the former Jane Norris.
External links
- What Columbia College is Known For, an essay by Hovde in Columbia Magazine praising John ErskineJohn ErskineJohn Erskine may refer to:*John Erskine of Cardross , Scottish soldier and politician*John Erskine of Carnock , Scottish jurist...
and the Core CurriculumCore CurriculumThe Core Curriculum was originally developed as the main curriculum used by Columbia University's Columbia College. It began in 1919 with "Contemporary Civilization," about the origins of western civilization. It became the framework for many similar educational models throughout the United States...