William Birenbaum
Encyclopedia
William Marvin Birenbaum (July 18, 1923 – October 4, 2010) 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 his term as president of Antioch College
.
Birenbaum was born on July 18, 1923, in Macomb, Illinois
. He was raised in Waterloo, Iowa
and enrolled at the Iowa State Teachers College (later the University of Northern Iowa
) until he enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces
during World War II
. After completing his military service, he attended the University of Chicago
where he completed a doctor of law degree. After serving as dean of students at the University of Chicago from 1947 to 1957, Birenbaum moved to Wayne State University
, where he was an assistant vice president and served as chairman of the Michigan Cultural Commission. In 1961, he was named as dean of the New School for Social Research
.
Starting in 1964, Birenbaum was the vice president and provost
at Long Island University
's Brooklyn Center
. In that role he supported keeping lower tuition and approved changes that eliminated a dress code and allowed students to have a beard. He was opposed in these efforts by the traditionalist chancellor R. Gordon Hoxie
who had sought to raise tuition as a means of dealing with the college's mounting debt burden. Hoxie demanded Birenbaum's resignation in March 1967, 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 against Birenbaum's dismissal, chanting "We want Bill" and physically confronting Dr. Hoxie. The sequence of events, on the other hand, eventually resulted in Hoxie being asked to resign in September 1968 by the board of trustees Birenbaum served as president of Staten Island Community College
from 1968 to 1976.
After considering 337 candidates in its search, Birenbaum was named as president of Antioch College in April 1976. The chairman of the search committee called him a "courageous and charismatic personality" who is an "experienced chief executive with a strong track record in crisis-type settings." By 1979, The New York Times
described tensions on campus due to the school's dire financial crisis and that Birenbaum's "pugnacious and often abrasive style had offended many Antiochians", with enrollment at the Yellow Springs, Ohio
campus dropping from 2,000 to 1,000 during the 1970s. Birenbaum implemented cost-cutting measures including a cut in the number of satellite campus programs nationwide from 30 down to under 10 and established Antioch University
as a parent for its multiple campuses. By November 1980, The New York Times was able to report in a headline of an article about the college that "A Streamlined Antioch Appears on the Way to Survival". Birenbaum announced in June 1984 that he would be retiring and Alan E. Guskin of the University of Wisconsin–Parkside was named to succeed him as of September 1, 1985.
Birenbaum was the author of the 1969 book Overlive: Power, Poverty, and the University and the 1971 text Something for Everybody Is Not Enough: An Educator's Search for His Education.
A resident of Brooklyn
and Wellfleet, Massachusetts
, Birenbaum died at the age of 87 on October 4, 2010, due to heart failure at his New York City
home. He was survived by his wife, the former Helen Bloch, as well as by a daughter, a son and four grandchildren. His daughter Susan Birenbaum died in 2008.
Long Island University
Long Island University is a private, coeducational, nonsectarian institution of higher education in the U.S. state of New York.-History:...
, Staten Island Community College, and received national attention for his efforts to address financial difficulties during his term as president of Antioch College
Antioch College
Antioch College is a private, independent liberal arts college in Yellow Springs, Ohio, United States. It was the founder and the flagship institution of the six-campus Antioch University system. Founded in 1852 by the Christian Connection, the college began operating in 1853 with politician and...
.
Birenbaum was born on July 18, 1923, in Macomb, Illinois
Macomb, Illinois
Macomb is a city in and the county seat of McDonough County, Illinois, United States. It is situated in western Illinois southwest of Galesburg. The population was 18,588 at the 2000 census. Macomb is the home of Western Illinois University.- Geography :...
. He was raised 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 enrolled at the Iowa State Teachers College (later 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...
) until he enlisted 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....
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 the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
where he completed a doctor of law degree. After serving as dean of students at the University of Chicago from 1947 to 1957, Birenbaum moved to Wayne State University
Wayne State University
Wayne State University is a public research university located in Detroit, Michigan, United States, in the city's Midtown Cultural Center Historic District. Founded in 1868, WSU consists of 13 schools and colleges offering more than 400 major subject areas to over 32,000 graduate and...
, where he was an assistant vice president and served as chairman of the Michigan Cultural Commission. In 1961, he was named as dean of the New School for Social Research
The New School
The New School is a university in New York City, located mostly in Greenwich Village. From its founding in 1919 by progressive New York academics, and for most of its history, the university was known as the New School for Social Research. Between 1997 and 2005 it was known as New School University...
.
Starting in 1964, Birenbaum was 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....
at 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:...
'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:...
. In that role he supported keeping lower tuition and approved changes that eliminated a dress code and allowed students to have a beard. He was opposed in these efforts by the traditionalist chancellor R. Gordon Hoxie
R. Gordon Hoxie
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 , after he resigned from LIU.Hoxie was born in Waterloo, Iowa and earned his undergraduate degree in 1940...
who had sought to raise tuition as a means of dealing with the college's mounting debt burden. Hoxie demanded Birenbaum's resignation in March 1967, 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 against Birenbaum's dismissal, chanting "We want Bill" and physically confronting Dr. Hoxie. The sequence of events, on the other hand, eventually resulted in Hoxie being asked to resign in September 1968 by the board of trustees Birenbaum served as president of Staten Island Community College
College of Staten Island
The College of Staten Island is a four-year, senior college of and is one of the 11 senior colleges in the City University of New York. Programs in the liberal arts and sciences and professional studies lead to bachelor's and associate's degrees. The master's degree is awarded in 13 professional...
from 1968 to 1976.
After considering 337 candidates in its search, Birenbaum was named as president of Antioch College in April 1976. The chairman of the search committee called him a "courageous and charismatic personality" who is an "experienced chief executive with a strong track record in crisis-type settings." By 1979, 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...
described tensions on campus due to the school's dire financial crisis and that Birenbaum's "pugnacious and often abrasive style had offended many Antiochians", with enrollment at the Yellow Springs, Ohio
Yellow Springs, Ohio
Yellow Springs is a village in Greene County, Ohio, United States, and is the location of Antioch College and Antioch University Midwest. The population was 3,487 at the 2010 census...
campus dropping from 2,000 to 1,000 during the 1970s. Birenbaum implemented cost-cutting measures including a cut in the number of satellite campus programs nationwide from 30 down to under 10 and established Antioch University
Antioch University
Antioch University is an American university with five campuses located in four states. Campuses are located in Los Angeles, California; Santa Barbara, California; Keene, New Hampshire; Yellow Springs, Ohio; and Seattle, Washington. Additionally, Antioch University houses two institution-wide...
as a parent for its multiple campuses. By November 1980, The New York Times was able to report in a headline of an article about the college that "A Streamlined Antioch Appears on the Way to Survival". Birenbaum announced in June 1984 that he would be retiring and Alan E. Guskin of the University of Wisconsin–Parkside was named to succeed him as of September 1, 1985.
Birenbaum was the author of the 1969 book Overlive: Power, Poverty, and the University and the 1971 text Something for Everybody Is Not Enough: An Educator's Search for His Education.
A resident of Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
and Wellfleet, Massachusetts
Wellfleet, Massachusetts
Wellfleet is a New England town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. Located halfway between the "tip" and "elbow" of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, the town had a population of 2,749 at the 2000 census, which swells nearly sixfold during the summer...
, Birenbaum died at the age of 87 on October 4, 2010, due to heart failure at his 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...
home. He was survived by his wife, the former Helen Bloch, as well as by a daughter, a son and four grandchildren. His daughter Susan Birenbaum died in 2008.