Robert Carothers

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Robert Carothers has served as the president of the University of Rhode Island since 1991.

Since Robert L. Carothers moved to Rhode Island from Minnesota in 1991 to become the 10th president of the University of Rhode Island, he has initiated a series of progressive changes to the University’s structure, infrastructure, and curriculum.

During his tenure, the University has increased enrollment of the best and brightest students in the state and region, shed its moniker as a “party” school, improved its physical campus environment, increased the diversity among students, faculty and staff, and enhanced its levels of alumni, corporate, and state support. To do this, Carothers reduced student rights and created draconian punishments for violations of his "zero tolerance" policy towards drug and alcohol use; Carothers' policy provides that students' dorm rooms may be searched without any cause [1]. When affecting alcohol prohibition on the University's campus, he exempted the Faculty Club and his residence[2].

The Princeton Review, which gave the University the party school label in the mid-1990s, named the University a “college with a conscience” in the spring of 2005.

He initiated a Centennial Scholarship program to attract high-achieving students to URI and strengthened programs to assist them once enrolled at the University. The Centennial program rewards students strictly on academic accomplishments. The program now disburses more than $6 million annually. As a result, the average SAT score for incoming freshman has risen nearly 160 points since 1991.

Dr. Carothers has been a pioneer among public universities in providing talented students with the tools to win prestigious awards, opening an Honors Scholarship Office in 1996. In March 2005, the University was named a 2004 Truman Foundation Honor Institution, the first public university in New England to receive the honor and one of three selected nationally. URI, which has had 12 Truman Scholarship winners, was selected for encouraging talented students to pursue careers in public service and for helping students win Truman Scholarships, including three in the past four years. In addition to the Truman awards, URI students have won a variety of national scholarships including the Udall, Goldwater, National Security Education Fellowships, the Madison, and the Fulbright. A URI student-athlete also became the first in University history to earn an NCAA Post Graduate Scholarship in early 2005. A recent alumna became the University’s first Rhodes Scholar, the first woman at a four-year public institution in New England to earn the coveted honor.

While building a stronger student body, President Carothers has also been building the University’s physical plant. Over a 10-year period, he has overseen more than $200 million in new construction and renovation and rehabilitation of existing structures. Among the newest additions to campus are the $4.7 million Alumni Center, the transformed home of the business college, Ballentine Hall, $10.9 million; Green Hall, $6.25 million; the Ryan Center, $54 million and the Boss Arena, $12 million.

Currently, the University has a wide-ranging capital improvement program totaling $290 million in active projects. During the spring of 2005, Dr. Carothers helped launch $120 million in projects for a new dining hall, new suite- and apartment-style undergraduate housing, residence hall renovations and 1,483 new parking spaces for students.

Dr. Carothers established the first President’s Commission on the Status of Women in December 1999, and implemented a series of steps intended to advance the progress of women at URI.

In 2002, he completed three years of service on the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism’s Committee on Campus Drinking, which culminated with the publication of a research agenda for the nation. He was one of only six university presidents to serve on the Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Drug Prevention Presidential Leadership Group.

President Carothers is also a mentor to many administrators who aspire to top jobs in higher education. In February 2005, more than 1,000 people gave Dr. Carothers a standing ovation at the annual meeting of the American Council on Education, in Washington, D.C. The applause was prompted by the presentation of the first Council of Fellows Outstanding Mentor Award to President Carothers. Since joining he has mentored nine Fellows, tying a long-held record for the most Fellows during the four decades of the program. The URI President shared the honor with University of Delaware President David Roselle. This was not the first time the two men were honored jointly. Last spring, each administrator received the President’s Leadership Group Award from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism for establishing some of the country’s most comprehensive alcohol abuse programs on their campuses.

President Carothers is active on the boards of many civic and professional organizations, including the Leadership Council of the American Council on Education, Bradley Hospital, Citizens Bank, The National Conference for Community and Justice, Grow Smart Rhode Island, and the Rhode Island Economic Policy Council.