Deane Waldo Malott
Encyclopedia
Deane Waldo Malott was an American
academic and administrator.
The son of a banker, Malott was born in Abilene, Kansas
and went on to study at the University of Kansas
. While at school there, he wrote for the University Daily Kansan
and was a brother in the Beta Theta Pi
fraternity. He graduated in 1921 and went on to the Harvard Business School
. After his 1923 graduation, he worked as an administrator at Harvard until 1929 when he was hired by the Hawaiian Pineapple Company. He returned to Harvard in 1933 as a Professor
and then in 1939 he returned to his alma mater
to become Chancellor
of University of Kansas
. While serving as Chancellor of the university, he helped oversee the transition of a peacetime campus to a wartime one, and enabled KU to train thousands of military personnel.
In 1951, Malott accepted the position of 6th president of Cornell University
. His 12 year term as president brought about the era of 'Big Science
' at Cornell: in 1961 sponsored research funding came to over $39 million. His term also saw the construction of new campuses for the School of Labor Relations
and the Colleges of Engineering
and Veterinary Medicine
as well as other major facilities, including the Arecibo Observatory
and Lynah Rink
. Though a social conservative, Malott was publicly very critical of McCarthyism
; he saw it as a major threat to academic freedom
.
After his retirement from Cornell, he would go on to serve on the boards of B.F. Goodrich, Owens-Corning, and General Mills
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
academic and administrator.
The son of a banker, Malott was born in Abilene, Kansas
Abilene, Kansas
Abilene is a city in and the county seat of Dickinson County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 6,844.-History:...
and went on to study at the University of Kansas
University of Kansas
The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...
. While at school there, he wrote for the University Daily Kansan
University Daily Kansan
The University Daily Kansan is an editorially and financially independent student newspaper serving the University of Kansas. It was founded in 1904....
and was a brother in the Beta Theta Pi
Beta Theta Pi
Beta Theta Pi , often just called Beta, is a social collegiate fraternity that was founded in 1839 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, USA, where it is part of the Miami Triad which includes Phi Delta Theta and Sigma Chi. It has over 138 active chapters and colonies in the United States and Canada...
fraternity. He graduated in 1921 and went on to the Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School is the graduate business school of Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, United States and is widely recognized as one of the top business schools in the world. The school offers the world's largest full-time MBA program, doctoral programs, and many executive...
. After his 1923 graduation, he worked as an administrator at Harvard until 1929 when he was hired by the Hawaiian Pineapple Company. He returned to Harvard in 1933 as a Professor
Professor
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...
and then in 1939 he returned to his alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
to become Chancellor
Chancellor (education)
A chancellor or vice-chancellor is the chief executive of a university. Other titles are sometimes used, such as president or rector....
of University of Kansas
University of Kansas
The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...
. While serving as Chancellor of the university, he helped oversee the transition of a peacetime campus to a wartime one, and enabled KU to train thousands of military personnel.
In 1951, Malott accepted the position of 6th president of Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
. His 12 year term as president brought about the era of 'Big Science
Big Science
Big Science is a term used by scientists and historians of science to describe a series of changes in science which occurred in industrial nations during and after World War II, as scientific progress increasingly came to rely on large-scale projects usually funded by national governments or groups...
' at Cornell: in 1961 sponsored research funding came to over $39 million. His term also saw the construction of new campuses for the School of Labor Relations
Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations
The New York State School of Industrial and Labor Relations is an industrial relations school at Cornell University, an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, USA...
and the Colleges of Engineering
Cornell University College of Engineering
The College of Engineering is a division of Cornell University that was founded in 1870 as the Sibley College of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanic Arts...
and Veterinary Medicine
Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
The New York State College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University was founded in 1894. It was the first statutory college in New York. Before the creation of the college, instruction in veterinary medicine had been part of Cornell's curriculum since the university's founding...
as well as other major facilities, including the Arecibo Observatory
Arecibo Observatory
The Arecibo Observatory is a radio telescope near the city of Arecibo in Puerto Rico. It is operated by SRI International under cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation...
and Lynah Rink
Lynah Rink
Lynah Rink is a 4,267-seat hockey arena at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, that opened in 1957. Named after James Lynah, Class of 1905, who was the director of Cornell athletics from 1935-1943, it is home to the Big Red men's and women's ice hockey teams.Lynah has been home to hockey greats...
. Though a social conservative, Malott was publicly very critical of McCarthyism
McCarthyism
McCarthyism is the practice of making accusations of disloyalty, subversion, or treason without proper regard for evidence. The term has its origins in the period in the United States known as the Second Red Scare, lasting roughly from the late 1940s to the late 1950s and characterized by...
; he saw it as a major threat to academic freedom
Academic freedom
Academic freedom is the belief that the freedom of inquiry by students and faculty members is essential to the mission of the academy, and that scholars should have freedom to teach or communicate ideas or facts without being targeted for repression, job loss, or imprisonment.Academic freedom is a...
.
After his retirement from Cornell, he would go on to serve on the boards of B.F. Goodrich, Owens-Corning, and General Mills
General Mills
General Mills, Inc. is an American Fortune 500 corporation, primarily concerned with food products, which is headquartered in Golden Valley, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis. The company markets many well-known brands, such as Betty Crocker, Yoplait, Colombo, Totinos, Jeno's, Pillsbury, Green...
.
External links
- Cornell Presidency: Deane Waldo Malott
- Cornell University LibraryCornell University LibraryThe Cornell University Library is the library system of Cornell University. In 2010 it held 8 million printed volumes in open stacks, 8.5 million microfilms and microfiches, more than of manuscripts, and close to 500,000 other materials, including motion pictures, DVDs, sound recordings, and...
Presidents Exhibition: Deane Waldo Malott (Presidency; Inauguration) - Obituary in the Cornell Chronicle