November 2, 2009

CU Mourns Passing of President William H. Baughn

 

DENVER—Former University of Colorado President William H. Baughn, Ph.D., died Sunday, Nov. 1, in Boulder. He was 91.

 

Baughn served as the university’s 14th and 16th presidents, and was dean of the CU-Boulder College of Business and Administration from 1964 to 1984. He was the only person to serve as CU president twice, and was tapped several times following his retirement to fill important administrative leadership roles, including president and chancellor.

CU President Bruce D. Benson issued the following statement upon learning of Baughn’s death:

“During William Baughn’s distinguished career at CU he not only was the right man when the university needed leadership, but he served with distinction for more than two decades as dean of the College of Business and Administration and as a faculty member,” Benson said. “I had the pleasure of working with him during his second presidency, and found him to be a stellar educator and passionate advocate for the University of Colorado.”

CU-Boulder Chancellor Philip DiStefano issued this statement, “Bill Baughn’s innovative ideas and programs took CU to the next level and we still benefit from his work to this day,” said DiStefano, who has been on campus since 1974. “When he was dean of the business school he took a program that was spread out in attics and basements and gave it its first permanent home. He spearheaded our first Business Advisory Council of business leaders and donors that raised money not only for a new building but also for the furniture to go inside it. We couldn’t afford movers so faculty moved the books and equipment in with wheelbarrows. He brought that same dogged determination with him as our president.”

 

Following are highlights from Baughn’s career at CU:

  • William H. Baughn, Ph.D., was the 14th and 16th president of the University of Colorado.
  • He served as president twice:
    • From Feb. 1 to June 30, 1985, replacing Arnold Weber, who left CU to become president of Northwestern University.
    • And from Aug. 1, 1990, to April 18, 1991, replacing Gordon Gee, who left CU to become president of Ohio State University.
  • Before he served his first term as president, Baughn was dean of the University of Colorado at Boulder College of Business and Administration for 20 years, from 1964 to 1984.
  • He has been the only person to serve as CU president twice.
  • He served as interim chancellor of CU-Boulder between 1985 and 1986.
  • Baughn served as faculty representative to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Big Eight Conference for 18 years, and chaired the conference twice.
  • In May 1988, the CU Board of Regents awarded Baughn the title of president emeritus.
  • Baughn was an Alabama native who earned a bachelor’s degree at the University of Alabama and a master’s and doctorate degrees from the University of Virginia.

The University of Colorado is a premier teaching and research university with four campuses: the University of Colorado at Boulder, the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, the University of Colorado Denver and the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. More than 55,000 undergraduate and graduate students are pursuing academic degrees on CU campuses. CU is ranked seventh among public institutions in federal research expenditures in engineering and science by the National Science Foundation. Academic prestige is marked by the university’s four Nobel laureates, seven MacArthur “genius” Fellows, 18 alumni astronauts and 19 Rhodes Scholars. For more information, go to www.cu.edu.

Contact: Deborah Méndez-Wilson, 303-860-5627 or Deborah.Mendez-Wilson@cu.edu