Timothy S. Healy
Encyclopedia
Rev. Timothy S. Healy, S.J.
(April 25, 1923 – December 30, 1992) was a Jesuit priest
who straddled the religious and secular life in a career that included the presidency of Georgetown University
and finally leadership of the New York Public Library
. In a career that spanned almost 50 years, Healy had also been Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs of the City University of New York
(CUNY).
Healy was born in New York City
on April 25, 1923. He joined the Society of Jesus
after graduating from Regis High School
, a Jesuit school in Manhattan
, in 1940. He earned degrees in English literature
and philosophy
from Woodstock College
and studied theology
at the University of Louvain
in Belgium
and at the University of Valencia in Spain
.
Healy taught English
for several years at Fordham Preparatory School
and was ordained a priest in 1953. He earned a master's degree
in English literature at Fordham University
in 1959 and his doctorate
from Oxford
in 1965.
It was at Fordham that Healy first impressed his superiors as a potential administrator. He rose through the ranks, becoming Fordham University’s executive vice president before he was tapped for the job as vice chancellor of CUNY. For seven years, between 1969 and 1976, he served CUNY with distinction and had a major impact on its early development as a university system
.
In 1976, Healy became the 46th President of Georgetown University. During his 13-year tenure, Georgetown emerged into the national spotlight as a top institution. Admissions doubled, the university endowment
increased from $38 million to nearly $228 million, and the campus facilities expanded to reflect the university's rising academic prestige. Healy's tenure was not without controversy, however, as his conservative views roiled the campus at times, particularly over whether or not to divest from investments in companies operating in South Africa
. Healy also sold the WGTB
broadcasting license to the University of the District of Columbia
for $1 in 1979 in order to silence its generally liberal voice. UDC would resell the license to C-SPAN
for $25 million two decades later.
In 1989, Healy resigned as President of Georgetown to accept the position of President of the New York Public Library
where he served until 1992. During his tenure, the library's endowment increased from $170 million to over $220 million.
Healy suffered a massive heart attack in Newark Airport and died on December 30th, 1992.
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
(April 25, 1923 – December 30, 1992) was a Jesuit priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
who straddled the religious and secular life in a career that included the presidency of Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
and finally leadership of the New York Public Library
New York Public Library
The New York Public Library is the largest public library in North America and is one of the United States' most significant research libraries...
. In a career that spanned almost 50 years, Healy had also been Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs of the City University of New York
City University of New York
The City University of New York is the public university system of New York City, with its administrative offices in Yorkville in Manhattan. It is the largest urban university in the United States, consisting of 23 institutions: 11 senior colleges, six community colleges, the William E...
(CUNY).
Healy was born in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on April 25, 1923. He joined the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
after graduating from Regis High School
Regis High School (New York City)
Regis High School is a private Jesuit university-preparatory school for academically gifted Roman Catholic young men located on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Annual class enrollment is limited to approximately 135 male students from the New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut tri-state area...
, a Jesuit school in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, in 1940. He earned degrees in English literature
English literature
English literature is the literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; for example, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Joseph Conrad was Polish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, J....
and 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...
from Woodstock College
Woodstock College
Woodstock College was a Jesuit seminary that existed from 1869 to 1974. It was the oldest Jesuit seminary in the United States. The school was located in Woodstock, Maryland, west of Baltimore, from its establishment until 1969, when it moved to New York City, where it operated in cooperation with...
and studied theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
at the University of Louvain
Université catholique de Louvain
The Université catholique de Louvain, sometimes known, especially in Belgium, as UCL, is Belgium's largest French-speaking university. It is located in Louvain-la-Neuve and in Brussels...
in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
and at the University of Valencia in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
Healy taught 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.,...
for several years at Fordham Preparatory School
Fordham Preparatory School
Fordham Preparatory School is a private Jesuit all-boys high school located in the Bronx, New York City, with an enrollment of approximately 950 students. It is located on the Rose Hill campus of Fordham University....
and was ordained a priest in 1953. He earned a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in English literature at Fordham University
Fordham University
Fordham University is a private, nonprofit, coeducational research university in the United States, with three campuses in and around New York City. It was founded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of New York in 1841 as St...
in 1959 and his doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
from Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
in 1965.
It was at Fordham that Healy first impressed his superiors as a potential administrator. He rose through the ranks, becoming Fordham University’s executive vice president before he was tapped for the job as vice chancellor of CUNY. For seven years, between 1969 and 1976, he served CUNY with distinction and had a major impact on its early development as a university system
University system
A university system is a set of multiple, affiliated universities and colleges that are usually geographically distributed. Typically, all member universities in a university system share a common component among all of their various names...
.
In 1976, Healy became the 46th President of Georgetown University. During his 13-year tenure, Georgetown emerged into the national spotlight as a top institution. Admissions doubled, the university endowment
Financial endowment
A financial endowment is a transfer of money or property donated to an institution. The total value of an institution's investments is often referred to as the institution's endowment and is typically organized as a public charity, private foundation, or trust....
increased from $38 million to nearly $228 million, and the campus facilities expanded to reflect the university's rising academic prestige. Healy's tenure was not without controversy, however, as his conservative views roiled the campus at times, particularly over whether or not to divest from investments in companies operating in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. Healy also sold the WGTB
WGTB
WGTB is a student-run internet radio station at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. The station was originally founded as an AM station in 1946 by Rev. Francis Layden, SJ, moving to FM in 1960. In the late 1960s and through the 1970s, the station attracted attention in the Washington, DC area...
broadcasting license to the University of the District of Columbia
University of the District of Columbia
The University of the District of Columbia is a historically black, public university located in Washington, D.C. UDC is one of only a few urban land-grant universities in the country and a member of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund...
for $1 in 1979 in order to silence its generally liberal voice. UDC would resell the license to C-SPAN
C-SPAN
C-SPAN , an acronym for Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network, is an American cable television network that offers coverage of federal government proceedings and other public affairs programming via its three television channels , one radio station and a group of websites that provide streaming...
for $25 million two decades later.
In 1989, Healy resigned as President of Georgetown to accept the position of President of the New York Public Library
New York Public Library
The New York Public Library is the largest public library in North America and is one of the United States' most significant research libraries...
where he served until 1992. During his tenure, the library's endowment increased from $170 million to over $220 million.
Healy suffered a massive heart attack in Newark Airport and died on December 30th, 1992.