R. Gordon Hoxie
Encyclopedia
Ralph Gordon Hoxie was an American educator and college administrator who served as chancellor
of Long Island University
in the 1960s and founded the Library of Presidential Papers (later known as the Center for the Study of the Presidency
), after he resigned from LIU.
Hoxie was born in Waterloo, Iowa
and earned his undergraduate degree in 1940 from Iowa State Teachers College, which is now known as the University of Northern Iowa
. During World War II
, Hoxie served as a captain in the United States Army Air Forces
and attained the rank of brigadier general as a reserve officer. After completing his military service, he earned graduate degrees from the University of Virginia
and Columbia University
, and served as an administrator at the University of Denver
and C. W. Post College
.
Long Island University chose Hoxie as the dean of its College of Liberal Arts and Sciences of Long Island University in 1954 and after a series of promotions was named the school's chancellor in 1964. By 1967, a conflict had arisen between Hoxie and William Birenbaum
the vice president and provost
of LIU's Brooklyn Center
. Hoxie, described by The New York Times
as an "educational traditionalist", had sought to raise tuition as a means of dealing with the college's mounting debt burden, while Birenbaum supported keeping lower tuition and approved changes that eliminated a dress code and allowed students to have a beard. In March 1967, Hoxie demanded Birenbaum's resignation, despite the fact that the faculty had voted by a nearly 4–1 margin to keep him as provost. 1,500 students gathered to mount what turned out to be an unsuccessful protest demanding that Birenbaum be reinstated, chanting "We want Bill" and physically confronting Hoxie, who was rescued by campus police after protesters had ripped his coat. Hoxie told students that "This is a day of infamy in the life of the student body". Hoxie was asked to resign in September 1968 by the board of trustees.
After leaving LIU, Hoxie founded the Library of Presidential Papers, an organization that was later named the Center for the Study of the Presidency and which studies the American presidency, publishing the journal Presidential Studies Quarterly for historians.
Hoxie died at the age of 83 on October 23, 2002, at his home in Oyster Bay Cove, New York
. He was survived by Ada Hoxie, his second wife. His first wife, Louise L. Hoxie, had died on December 14, 1992.
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 Long Island University
Long Island University
Long Island University is a private, coeducational, nonsectarian institution of higher education in the U.S. state of New York.-History:...
in the 1960s and founded the Library of Presidential Papers (later known as the Center for the Study of the Presidency
Center for the Study of the Presidency
The Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress is a non-profit, non-partisan policy and education organization located in Washington, D.C...
), after he resigned from LIU.
Hoxie was born in Waterloo, Iowa
Waterloo, Iowa
Waterloo is a city in and the county seat of Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census the population decreased by 0.5% to 68,406. Waterloo is part of the Waterloo – Cedar Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, and is the more populous of the two...
and earned his undergraduate degree in 1940 from Iowa State Teachers College, which is now known as the University of Northern Iowa
University of Northern Iowa
The University of Northern Iowa is a college located in Cedar Falls, Iowa, United States. UNI offers more than 120 majors across the colleges of Business Administration, Education, Humanities and Fine Arts, Natural Sciences, and Social and Behavioral sciences, and graduate college.UNI has...
. 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...
, Hoxie served as a captain in the United States Army Air Forces
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
and attained the rank of brigadier general as a reserve officer. After completing his military service, he earned graduate degrees from the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
and 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...
, and served as an administrator at the University of Denver
University of Denver
The University of Denver is currently ranked 82nd among all public and private "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report in the 2012 rankings....
and C. W. Post College
Long Island University C.W. Post Campus
The C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University is a private institution of higher education located in Brookville in Nassau County, New York, United States...
.
Long Island University chose Hoxie as the dean of its College of Liberal Arts and Sciences of Long Island University in 1954 and after a series of promotions was named the school's chancellor in 1964. By 1967, a conflict had arisen between Hoxie and William Birenbaum
William Birenbaum
William Marvin Birenbaum was an American educator and college administrator who served in leadership positions at the New School for Social Research, Long Island University, Staten Island Community College, and received national attention for his efforts to address financial difficulties during...
the vice president and provost
Provost (education)
A provost is the senior academic administrator at many institutions of higher education in the United States, Canada and Australia, the equivalent of a pro-vice-chancellor at some institutions in the United Kingdom and Ireland....
of LIU's Brooklyn Center
The Brooklyn Campus of Long Island University
The Brooklyn Campus of Long Island University it is a private institution of higher education located in Brooklyn, United States. It is the original unit and first of two main campuses of the private Long Island University system.-Mission statement:...
. Hoxie, described by The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
as an "educational traditionalist", had sought to raise tuition as a means of dealing with the college's mounting debt burden, while Birenbaum supported keeping lower tuition and approved changes that eliminated a dress code and allowed students to have a beard. In March 1967, Hoxie demanded Birenbaum's resignation, despite the fact that the faculty had voted by a nearly 4–1 margin to keep him as provost. 1,500 students gathered to mount what turned out to be an unsuccessful protest demanding that Birenbaum be reinstated, chanting "We want Bill" and physically confronting Hoxie, who was rescued by campus police after protesters had ripped his coat. Hoxie told students that "This is a day of infamy in the life of the student body". Hoxie was asked to resign in September 1968 by the board of trustees.
After leaving LIU, Hoxie founded the Library of Presidential Papers, an organization that was later named the Center for the Study of the Presidency and which studies the American presidency, publishing the journal Presidential Studies Quarterly for historians.
Hoxie died at the age of 83 on October 23, 2002, at his home in Oyster Bay Cove, New York
Oyster Bay Cove, New York
The Village of Oyster Bay Cove is a village located within the Town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 2,197 at the 2010 census...
. He was survived by Ada Hoxie, his second wife. His first wife, Louise L. Hoxie, had died on December 14, 1992.