A. LeRoy Greason

Arthur LeRoy Greason, Jr. (born September 13, 1922^[1] - August 28, 2011)^[2] was the twelfth president of Bowdoin College.

Life and career

A native of Newport, Rhode Island, Greason graduated from Wesleyan University in 1944 as both a member of Phi Beta Kappa and the president of student government. He subsequently attended Harvard University to earn his master's and doctorate degrees, and taught at both Wesleyan and Harvard.^[3]

Greason began teaching English at Bowdoin in 1952 as an instructor in English, becoming a full professor in 1966 with a specialty in 18th-century English literature. Greason served as both dean of students and as dean of the college before stepping down in 1975 to return to teaching on a full-time basis. Nevertheless, Five years later, following the departure of President Willard F. Enteman, he was asked to serve as acting president. He became the third faculty member at Bowdoin to become president, serving from 1981 until 1990.

During his presidency, the college expanded its full-time teaching faculty from 100 to 125 and launched and successfully completely a $56 million capital campaign. Additionally, the college constructed the Farley Field House and Bowdoin College Swimming Pool and began construction on the Hatch Science Library. He reinstituted course distribution requirements, established of the department of computer science, and instituted the Arctic Studies, Asian Studies, and Women's Studies programs. In 1987, asked a special panel to decide whether fraternities should be abolished at Bowdoin. His successor, Robert Hazard Edwards, ultimately effected the change. The school's swimming pool is now named after Greason.

"He was awarded honorary degrees by Wesleyan University, Colby, and Bates colleges, the University of New England, and the University of Maine at Presque Isle. In 1990, the year he retired, Bowdoin awarded him a Doctor of Humane Letters."^[4]

References

External links

• A. LeRoy Greason, Administrative Records, 1956-1990
• "Bowdoin College Swimming Pool to be Named in Honor of A. Leroy Gr, Campus News (Bowdoin)". bowdoin.edu. Retrieved 2015-04-04. 
• "Future of Bowdoin Fraternities Is Being Weighed - NYTimes.com". query.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2015-04-04.