Ross M. Lence

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ross Marlo Anthony Lence, Ph.D. Indiana University (1970), B.A. University of Chicago (1966), was a professor of Political Science at the University of Houston from 1971-2006, where he was John and Rebecca Moores Scholar (named after John Moores (baseball)) and held the Ross M. Lence Distinguished Teaching Chair. He taught Political Philosophy, American Political Thought, and American Government as a member of the Political Science and Honors College faculties. His edited volume of the works of John C. Calhoun, Union and Liberty: The Political Philosophy of John C. Calhoun, is one of the foremost references on the statesman.

Professor Lence was the recipient of an unprecedented number of Teaching Excellence Awards from the University of Houston and the State of Texas. In January 2007, in memory of the late Professor Lence, the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Houston renamed its teaching excellence awards the Ross M. Lence Awards for Teaching Excellence in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences.

Students of Professor Lence include Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Michael P. Jackson; Professors Randy Strahan (Emory University), James N. Gladden (University of Alaska), Gary C. Marfin (Rice University), and Marshall L. De Rosa (Florida Atlantic University); and Houston Statesmen Michael Berry and Orlando Sanchez.

[edit] Biography

Professor Lence was born in Whitefish, Montana on December 19, 1943. His father, Marlo, was a foreman on the Great Northern Railroad; his mother, Nickie stayed home to raise Ross and his brother, John, before taking a job to run a photography studio. Ross graduated from Whitefish High School with a 4.0 and was valadictorian of his class. After completing his Bachelor's Degree at the University of Chicago, Ross studied at Georgetown University, then at Indiana University under Charles S. Hyneman, who took Ross on a 15,000 mile, 5-year trip across America to give Ross first-hand experience of the country. In 1970, Ross researched at The British Museum. He began teaching at the University of Houston in 1971, where he also served as Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Political Science for 23 years. Throughout his career, Professor Lence was a perennial participant, leader, and director at Liberty Fund Colloquia. He died on July 11, 2006 in Houston, TX.