Thomas A. Bartlett

For other Thomas Bartletts, see Thomas Bartlett (disambiguation).
Thomas A. Bartlett
8th Chancellor of the State University of New York
In office
1994–1996
Preceded byD. Bruce Johnstone
Succeeded byJohn W. Ryan
9th Chancellor of the Oregon University System
In office
1989–1994
Preceded byWilliam E. Davis
Succeeded byJoseph Cox
2nd Chancellor of the University of Alabama System
In office
1982–1987
Preceded byJoseph F. Volker
Succeeded byPhilip E. Austin
1st President of the Association of American Universities
In office
1977–1982
Succeeded byRobert M. Rosenzweig
11th President of Colgate University
In office
1969–1977
Preceded byVincent MacDowell Barnett Jr.
Succeeded byGeorge D. Langdon, Jr.
4th President of American University in Cairo
In office
1963–1969
Preceded byRaymond F. McLain
Succeeded byChristopher Thoron
Personal details
Born (1930-03-24) March 24, 1930 (age 94)
Salem, Oregon, United States
SpouseMary (Molly) Louise Bixby (1954)
EducationWillamette University
Stanford University (AB, 1951)
Oxford University (MA)
Stanford University (PhD, 1959)

Thomas Alva Bartlett (born August 20, 1930) is an American educator who is most notable for having served as president of several universities and university systems.

Bartlett was born in Salem, Oregon, and was youngest of three sons of Cleave Bartlett, an auditor-bookkeeper and real estate broker, and the former Alma Hanson, a housewife.[1] In 1947, he graduated from Salem High School.[2] He attended Willamette University for two years, where he joined Beta Theta Pi fraternity, before transferring to Stanford University, where he was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa Society. After graduating in 1951 with a bachelor's degree in political science, he attended Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, earning a master's degree. In 1959 he was awarded a Ph.D. degree from Stanford University. While still in graduate school, he was recruited to join the United States Permanent Mission to the United Nations to work on Arab-Israeli relations. From, there, he became the president of the American University in Cairo.

From 1969 to 1977, he assumed the presidency of Colgate University as well as the chancellorships of the University of Alabama System and the Oregon State System of Higher Education from the 1970s to the 1980s.[3] He also served as president of the Association of American Universities. He was called out of a brief retirement to head the State University of New York System in 1994, but conflicts with George Pataki appointees[4] on the university's board of trustees led to his resignation after just 17 months on the job.[5]

After SUNY, he became chairman of the board of trustees of the United States-Japan Foundation, leaving after seven years to re-assume the Presidency of the American University in Cairo on an interim basis.

The Thomas A. Bartlett Chair of English at Colgate University is named after him. [6]

  1. ^ Van Gelder, Lawrence (October 5, 1994). "Man in the News; New SUNY Chancellor: Thomas Alva Bartlett". New York Times. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  2. ^ Van Gelder, Lawrence (October 5, 1994), "Man in the News; New SUNY Chancellor: Thomas Alva Bartlett", The New York Times, retrieved 2008-04-27
  3. ^ "THOMAS ALVA BARTLETT". www.archives.state.al.us. Alabama Academy of Honor. Retrieved 2008-04-27.
  4. ^ Arenson, Karen W. (April 27, 1996), "SUNY Trustees and Leader Try to Resolve Differences", The New York Times, retrieved 2008-04-27
  5. ^ Barron, James (May 1, 1996), "SUNY Chancellor Resigns Post After Battling Pataki's Trustees", The New York Times, retrieved 2008-04-27
  6. ^ The Colgate Scene, ed. (September 2006). "Endowed professorships at Colgate". www4.colgate.edu/scene. Colgate University. Retrieved 2008-04-27.