Henry King Stanford

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Henry King Stanford (born April 22, 1916) was the 3rd President of the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida. He served in that capacity from 1962 until 1981, when upon his retirement he was named President Emeritus.

The Stanford presidency at the University of Miami saw increased emphasis on research, reorganization of administrative structure and construction of new facilities. Among the new research centers established were the Center for Advanced International Studies (1964), the Institute of Molecular and Cellular Evolution (1964), the Center for Theoretical Studies (1965), the James M. Cox, Jr. Science Building, (1967), and the Institute for the Study of Aging (1975).

Subsequently after Dr. Stanford's retirement from the University of Miami, he took the position of president of the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia on an interim basis from 1986 to 1987. Upon his departure from the University of Georgia, the Georgia Board of Regents named him president emeritus of the University of Georgia.

Dr. Stanford received his Bachelor of Arts from Emory University, a Master of Science from the University of Denver, and a Ph.D. from New York University.

The Board of Regents elected Dr. Henry King Stanford as President of Georgia State College for Women in 1953. From 1948 to 1950 he was President of Georgia Southern College, now known as Georgia Southern University, and from 1950 to 1952 he was Director of the University Center in Georgia. Before going to GSCW, Dr. Stanford had worked for a year as the Assistant Chancellor of the University System of Georgia. Newspaper reports state that he was sent to GSCW by the Board of Regents to deal with GSCW's difficult problems such as the declining enrollment and the movement to make GSCW a coeducational institution.

During his short tenure of three years, Dr. Stanford managed to raise morale and stop declining enrollment. Herty Hall was also completed during Stanford's tenure. Many of the other buildings on campus, however, continued to suffer. Stanford suggested during his presidency that Chappell Hall be torn down. At the same time, much of Atkinson Hall was abandoned due to the building's poor condition. Despite Stanford's requests for funding, much of the campus remained in disrepair until the 1970s and 1980s.

In 1956 the Board of Regents granted Dr. Stanford a leave of absence so that he could serve as Chief of the New York University Mission in Turkey. His original plan was to return to the college in June of 1957. Before he left for Turkey, however, he took a position as president of Birmingham Southern College and resigned as president of Georgia State College for Women in the spring of 1956.

Henry King Stanford was the effective, respected, accessible, and popular president of the University of Miami from 1962-1981, known as much for his trademark jacket lapel, always accessorized with a fresh and colorful carnation, as for his exuberant leadership and demonstrated personal commitment to the University's students. He would breakfast with student groups every two weeks, and frequently invited student leaders to his home to dialogue with he and his wife, Ruth King Stanford, over dinner. He often visited the residence halls unannounced to talk with students or spontaneously joined them for lunch. Another notable trademark was his remarkable and uncanny ability to remember years later, the names and circumstances under which he had met students just once. Accordingly, his tenure is also remembered for his ubiquitous campus presence.

The Georgia native brought to the University of Miami a combination of skills and talents that included a bachelor’s degree from Emory University, a master’s degree in government and management from the University of Denver, where he was an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Fellow, and a doctorate in political science and public administration from New York University. He had been president of three colleges or universities in Georgia prior to joining UM, and had traveled and studied in Germany and Turkey, and is the recipient of numerous national and international honorary degrees.

He led the University through the national turbulence of the 1960s, and guided it through the largest era of growth and expansion in the University’s history. New buildings sprung up as quickly as new programs and degrees. Four 12-story residence halls were among the dozens of new buildings, and reflected the University’s growing enrollment of out-of-state students. One of those residence halls, the Henry King Stanford Residential College today bears his name.

To prevent the kind of disruptive and violent demonstrations such as the tragedy at Kent State University, he orchestrated larger roles for students and faculty in university governance and allowed all a greater freedom of choice.

Minority rights and representation at all levels of University life also became characteristic of the Stanford presidency. He initiated the tradition of dinners for foreign students at his home, and encouraged diversity throughout the University.

Dr. Stanford also led the University through the difficult era of the 1970s, when the entire country was feeling the effects of the prolonged national inflation, and the general discrediting of higher education institutions, since during a time when jobs were scarce, a college degree was no longer an automatic assurance of a successful career and a secure future. It was also during this time that the University’s former post-war nickname of “Sun Tan U”, long a bitter and derogatory appellation, because of Dr. Stanford's dilligent efforts, would cease to apply.

However, Dr. Stanford’s legendary strength of character and buoyant spirit, combined with his visionary leadership, brought the University out of turmoil and onto the stable foundation from which subsequent presidents of the University would continue to build.

In his honor, the University of Miami has named several awards, scholarships, and endowed chairs, a road way, a residence hall, and other items, ensuring that his mark on the campus and his legacy to the University will endure.

In April 2007, the AMIGOS Board of Directors of the University of Miami’s Libraries Cuban Heritage Collection (CHC) established the “AMIGOS of the University of Miami Cuban Heritage Collection Henry King Stanford Award”, named for the third president of UM, and presented the former president with its first award. The award was created to honor those individuals who have “greatly contributed” to the work of the AMIGOS and the CHC.

“President Stanford was instrumental in the creation of the CHC and was one of the founding members and served as first co-chair of the AMIGOS,” said Carlos Quintela, AMIGOS Chairman. “It is an honor to have his name on this annual award and it is only fitting that we should honor him in this way."

Dr. Stanford's other major academic administrative positions include:

• president of Georgia Southwestern College in Americus (1948 – 1950)
• president of Georgia State College for Women in Milledgeville (1953 – 1956)
• president of Birmingham Southern College (1957 – 1962).

[edit] References

• From Ahmedunggar to Lavonia Presidents at the University of Georgia 1785-1997, University of Georgia Libraries, Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library
• Georgia College and State University Bio
• Ruth Stanford Obituary
• University of Miami. Named Buildings History.Coral Gables Campus.Prepared: Summer 2001. Updated: Fall 2004
• Georgia College & State University. Library & Instructional Technology Center. Dr. Henry King Stanford Biography.
• Dr. Henry King Stanford Biography.
• Stanford Residential College.
• AMIGOS of the University of Miami Libraries Cuban Heritage Collection Honor President Emeritus Henry King Stanford.

Preceded by Jay F. W. Pearson 1952–1962

President of the University of Miami 1962 – 1981

Succeeded by Edward T. Foote II 1981–2001