List of presidents of Brown University

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The following is a list of presidents of Brown University From 1765 to the 1920s, the president was required by the University Charter to be of the Baptist denomination:

President Brown Class Life Tenure Events
1.
James Manning head by Cosmo Alexander.jpg
 James Manning – 1738–1791 1765–1791 The College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations is established in Warren, RI, (1765) moves to Providence (1770) and establishes a campus on College Hill with the construction of University Hall (1770). The college closes in December 1776 due to the American Revolution and reopens in September 1782.[1]
2.
JonathanMaxcy.jpg
 Jonathan Maxcy 1787 1768–1820 1792–1802 First alum to be president and youngest president in Brown's history; Maxcy's reputation as a skilled orator benefits the reputation of the fledgling college.[2][3]

Enrollment Passes 100 Students (1800).

3.
Asa Messer James Sullivan Lincoln.jpg
 Asa Messer 1790 1769–1836 1802–1826 The College of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations is renamed Brown University following a gift from Nicholas Brown, Jr (1804). A program in medical study is organized (1811) following the examples set by Harvard and Dartmouth. The Messer administration is characterized by increasing unruliness and misbehavior of students.[4]
4.
Francis Wayland
 Francis Wayland – 1796–1865 1827–1855 Wayland sets out to improve student discipline. Medical instruction is suspended (1827) following a dispute over a proposed residence requirement for medical professors.[5] Brown establishes the third civilian engineering program in the country (1847). Wayland urges adoption of a broader curriculum (1850), laying the groundwork for the Open Curriculum.
5.
Barnas Sears 5th President of Brown.jpg
 Barnas Sears 1825 1802–1880 1855–1867 Despite the Panic of 1857 and Civil War, Sears oversees the construction of a new chemistry laboratory and an increase in the University's endowment.[6] Entrance and degree requirements are made stricter, benefiting the reputation of the University.[7]


Sears is widely popular among students.[8]

6.
Alexis Caswell 6th President of Brown.jpg
 Alexis Caswell 1822 1799–1877 1868–1872 The University's financial assets grow by nearly 85%.Tuition, faculty salaries, and enrollment all increase.[9]
7.
Ezekiel Robinson 7th president of Brown.jpg
 Ezekiel Robinson[10] 1838 1815–1894 1872–1889 Graduate study is instituted (1888–1889). Robinson (1878), Slater (1879), and Sayles Halls (1881) are constructed.
8.
Elisha Andrews, 1897.jpg
 Elisha Andrews 1870 1844–1917 1889–1898 Enrollment more than doubles.[7] The graduate program is expanded and the Women's College is founded (1891).
9.
W.H.P. Faunce LCCN2014682659 (restored).jpg
 William Faunce[11] 1880 1859–1930 1899–1929 Enrollment passes 1,000 (1915) and doubles to pass 2,000 (1925). The Women's College is renamed Pembroke College in Brown University (1928).
10.
Clarence Barbour.jpg
 Clarence Barbour 1888 1867–1937 1929–1937 Last of long line of Baptist minister Presidents
11.
Liber Brunensis 1942, Henry Merritt Wriston.jpg
 Henry Wriston – 1889–1978 1937–1955 First non-Baptist (Methodist) president and first president since Wayland to not be a Brown alumnus
12. Barnaby Keeney – 1914–1980 1955–1966 Brown purchases the Dexter Asylum property.
13. Ray Heffner[12] – 1925–2012 1966–1969 New Curriculum passed
14. Donald Hornig[13] – 1920–2013 1970–1976 Pembroke fully merges with the College of Brown University (1971). A medical program is re-established (1972).
15. Howard Swearer – 1932–1991 1977–1988 The Watson Institute is founded as the Institute for International Studies (1986).
16.
Vartan Gregorian cropped (cropped)
 Vartan Gregorian – 1934–2021 1989–1997 Vartan Gregorian was Brown's first foreign-born president. During his tenure, Brown sees fundraising success, with the University's endowment surpassing $1 billion.[14] Applications increase and the University's reputation grows.[15]
17.
E. Gordon Gee 9150037
 Gordon Gee – 1944– 1998–2000 Plans announced for a large biomedical sciences building requiring the sale of $80 million in bonds. Funds cut for a popular string quartet drawing criticism that Gee's vision was at odds with the University's liberal arts-oriented identity.[16] Gee resigns abruptly after only two years in a move criticized by University leaders.[17]
18.
DrRuthJSimmons.jpg
 Ruth Simmons – 1945– 2001–2012 At the time of her appointment Simmons became Brown's first woman president and the first African-American president of an Ivy League university.[18] In 2001, Time named Simmons America's best college president. The Sidney E. Frank Hall for Life Sciences (2006) and Granoff Center for the Creative Arts both open (2011).


Following a $100 million gift, the Medical School is renamed the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University (2007).[19] The University opens a new medical campus in the Jewelry District (2011).

19.
Christina paxson.jpg
 Christina Paxson – 1960– 2012– Christina Paxson is Brown's current president. During her tenure, Brown established its School of Public Health, expands the physical footprint of the School of Engineering, and completes a historically large fundraising campaign.[20][21] The university also undertakes a significant expansion of residential facilities.[22][23]

References[]

  1. ^ "Encyclopedia Brunoniana | Revolutionary War". www.brown.edu. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  2. ^ "Second President: Jonathan Maxcy | Brown University Timeline". www.brown.edu. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  3. ^ "Encyclopedia Brunoniana | Maxcy, Jonathan". www.brown.edu. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  4. ^ "Encyclopedia Brunoniana | Messer, Asa". www.brown.edu. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  5. ^ "Encyclopedia Brunoniana | Medical education". www.brown.edu. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  6. ^ "Encyclopedia Brunoniana | Sears, Barnas". www.brown.edu. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  7. ^ a b "Brown: A Timeline". www.brown.edu. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  8. ^ "Encyclopedia Brunoniana | Sears, Barnas". www.brown.edu. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  9. ^ "Encyclopedia Brunoniana | Caswell, Alexis". www.brown.edu. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  10. ^ From Martha Mitchell’s Encyclopedia Brunoniana: Gilman, Ezekiel
  11. ^ From Martha Mitchell’s Encyclopedia Brunoniana: Faunce, William H.P.
  12. ^ From Martha Mitchell’s Encyclopedia Brunoniana: Heffner, Ray L.
  13. ^ From Martha Mitchell’s Encyclopedia Brunoniana: Hornig, Donald F.
  14. ^ Pender, Caelyn (2021-04-16). "Gregorian dies at 87". Brown Daily Herald. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  15. ^ Arenson, Karen W. (1997-01-08). "Gregorian, Ending an 8-Year Tenure at Brown, Is Leaving 'a Hot College Even Hotter'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  16. ^ "Premature Evacuation". The Village Voice. 2000-08-01. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  17. ^ Wilgoren, Jodi (2000-02-08). "President Stuns Brown U. by Leaving to Be Vanderbilt Chancellor". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  18. ^ Simmons, Ruth. "I learned early how to survive racism. Now we all need to learn how to fight it". Washington Post. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  19. ^ "BROWN MED GETS $100M". The Brown Daily Herald. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  20. ^ Fain, Barry; Isenberg, Robert. "State of the Campus". Providence Media. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  21. ^ "Brown surpasses $3 billion BrownTogether fundraising goal early, will extend campaign". Brown University. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  22. ^ "Brown announces new residence hall plan". The Brown Daily Herald. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  23. ^ "East Side Mini-Mart to close in "bittersweet" farewell as University makes room for new dorm". The Brown Daily Herald. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
Retrieved from ""