Philip E. Austin 1984 - 1989 |
University Presidents |
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Trained as an economist, and having direct knowledge of land-grant education and governmental bureaucracies, Austin possessed exceptional political skills. He recognized that no major academic institution could flourish without private support to supplement state funding and sponsored research. Accordingly, fundraising became a high priority and close contacts with Colorado business leaders enabled CSU to attract unprecedented private financial backing. During Austin's presidency, in response to legislative pressure to streamline governance of Colorado higher education and building upon reorganization begun in 1978, the CSU System was established. A single governing board exercised jurisdiction over CSU, the University of Southern Colorado, and Fort Lewis College, and Austin became chancellor of this system. Students of this era seemed more focused on preparing themselves for good jobs than protesting against society's injustices. Opportunities for women, however, increased markedly, and legacies of the civil rights and environmental movements affected institutional policies and student values. A distressing characteristic was a penchant for destructive rioting. Responding to consecutive years of violence, in 1987 President Austin permanently cancelled the springtime tradition of College Days. Austin also revised and implemented institutional self-evaluation proposals begun during the Christoffersen presidency. As a result, numerous redundant classes and marginal programs were eliminated, reducing waste and freeing resources for more suitable priorities. A particularly important new priority involved telecommunications and computing-areas that enabled CSU to successfully confront Information Age challenges. Although many other priorities remained unfinished when Austin left CSU in 1989 to become chancellor of the University of Alabama System, his leadership brought necessary improvements. |
Born and raised in Fargo, North Dakota, Austin obtained his B.S. and M.S. degrees in agricultural economics at North Dakota State University, a land-grant institution. He then attended Michigan State University, earning his Ph.D. in 1968. Prior to pursuing an academic career, Austin performed military service that included a Vietnam tour of duty. After being discharged he worked as an economist for the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, and as deputy and acting assistant secretary for HEW in Washington, D.C. A key professional change came in 1977 when he left government service to head the doctoral program in public affairs at George Washington University. He then became provost and vice president for academic affairs Baruch College in New York City before assuming the CSU presidency in 1984.