Tribute to Former UI President Ernest Hartung Set for April 24 at the Hartung Theatre
Tuesday, April 6 2004
April 6, 2004^MOSCOW-- Family, friends, faculty and the public will gather Saturday, April 24, at the Hartung Theatre to celebrate the life and academic career of the late Ernest W. Hartung, University of Idaho's 13th president. He died Sept. 26, 2003 in Florida at age 86, having retired from UI 22 years ago.^A short program from 5:30-6 p.m. will kick off the event inside the theater, followed by a reception in the lobby from 6-7 p.m., which his children Denny, Kathy and John will attend. Other friends and faculty will speak; Harold Gibson, alumni relations director, will officially declare it Ernest W. Hartung Day and present the family with a memory book. Music will be provided by the Lionel Hampton School of Music.^Photos and memorabilia of the Hartung years also will be displayed at UI's Administration Building for a month.^The UI President's Office is sponsoring the recognition and accepting contributions in behalf of the Ernest W. Hartung--ASUI Scholarship Endowment Fund established in 1977. The endowed fund currently awards as much as $1,000 a year to an undergraduate student active in student affairs.^"Ernie dedicated his entire career to educating students," said alumni director Harold Gibson. "What better way to further his legacy than to expand his scholarship endowment for students?"^Known as a progressive "shared governance" president, well-connected to students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends of the university, Hartung also helped create forerunner organizations that evolved into UI's Women’s Center, UI Foundation, New Student Services, Staff Affairs, Faculty Council and Arboretum Associates.^In fact, in 1969, in the midst of the U.S. campus war protests and student unrest, 4,500 UI students showed up at Dr. Hartung's house to support his policies. This quote in the Congressional Record of March 27, 1969, by Sen. Larry Craig, who then was UI student body president, reflects their sentiments:^"President Ernest Hartung has moved the University of Idaho in three years as it has not been moved in 50 years. He has given to education and the state of Idaho progressive leadership . . . and change without violence seen at many other universities throughout the country."^David Warnick, student body president at the end of the Hartung years, helped launch the Hartung scholarship endowment in 1976-77. "I'm delighted to see this tribute to Dr. Hartung, who was so instrumental in shaping our institution," Warnick said recently from his Hayden home.^"He did it by honoring others and listening to the many different constituencies that make up our inter-connected community of learning." Warnick remembers "the calmness with which Dr. Hartung navigated the stormy waters of the late 60’s and early 70’s. He brought faculty members and students to the table and empowered them. He also championed grants and donations and began a Scholarship Endowment National Drive (SEND), asking students to pledge donations after graduation."^In his12 years as UI president from 1965 to 1977, Hartung also oversaw construction of at least 13 campus buildings. They were an Agricultural Science wing, Buchanan Engineering, College of Education/KIVA Theatre, College of Natural Resources, Menard College of Law, Industrial Arts, South Hill Terrace Apartments, Swim Center, Physical Education, Theophilus Tower, Holm Veterinary Science Center, Kibbie-ASUI Activity Center, and the Performing Arts (Hartung Theatre).^Hartung, who was succeeded by President Richard Gibb, continued to serve the UI as executive director of the UI Foundation for four years after his presidency. ^An East Coast native, Hartung was born Jan. 20, 1917, in New York City. He earned degrees in biology with an emphasis in zoology from Dartmouth, 1938, and Harvard, 1940 and 1942. ^After serving in the U.S. Air Force for three years, he began his academic career at the University of Vermont, then Harvard, and the University of Rhode Island, rising from classroom teaching through the administrative ranks. After his retirement from UI in 1982, he moved back East, to East Greenwich, RI.^Remembrances and contributions to his scholarship fund may be sent to the UI President's Office, PO Box 443147, Moscow, Idaho, 83844-3147.^Ernest W. Hartung Academic Timeline^1938 – Dartmouth College, Bachelor's Degree (Biology)^1940 – Harvard University, Master's Degree (Biology)^1942 – Harvard University, Ph.D. (Biology)^1940-42 – Harvard/Radcliffe University, teaching fellow^1942-45 – United States Air Force, Second Lieutenant-Captain^1946-48 – University of Vermont, instructor/assistant professor^1948-52 – Harvard University, assistant professor^1948-65 -- University of Rhode Island: assistant professor/professor/head of zoology; dean of Graduate School; academic vice president/provost, and acting dean College of Arts and Sciences^1965 -- Honorary Doctor of Law Degree, University of Rhode Island^1965-77 -- President, University of Idaho; inauguration Oct. 30, 1965; first use of academic regalia at UI^1965-70, 1972 -- Idaho commissioner, Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education^1966 -- Honorary Doctor of Law Degree, Honorary Alumnus, College of Idaho^1967-74 -- Performing Arts Building committee forms in 1967; $2 million campaign begins for first non-state-funded building on the campus; 1974 formal dedication of Hartung Theatre.^1966-74 -- Idaho representative and executive committee member, Associated Western Universities^1967-71 -- American Council on Education, Commission on Evaluation of Service Experience^1968-73 -- Committee member, Land-Grant Association^1969-- Member, special advisory committee to Pentagon on ROTC^1969 – UI's Industrial Arts Building dedication; UI's J.E. Buchanan Engineering Laboratory dedication; UI's Women’s Health Education Building dedication; UI's Theophilus Tower dedication^1972 -- Member, Association for Humanities in Idaho^1975 – UI's William H. Kibbie-ASUI Activity Center dedication, Oct. 11^1976 – UI's Veterinary Medical Building dedication, Nov. 13^1977-81 -- Executive Director of Development and UI Foundation^1977-- Chair, Idaho Department of Employment Advisory Committee^1977-- Establishes Ernest W. Hartung - ASUI Scholarship Endowment Fund for undergraduate students^1978-80 -- Helps launch arboretum master plan and UI Arboretum Associates^1982 – UI Honorary Doctor of Administrative Science Degree; volunteer for UI mentor program^1982 - Retires from UI Jan. 20; moves to East Greenwich, Rhode Island^1989, May -- Celebrates UI Centennial and its first 13 presidents; he and Richard Gibb plant an oak tree for Centennial Oak Grove in UI's arboretum^Contacts: Leslee Yaryan, UI President's Office, (208) 885-6365, leslee@uidaho.edu; Kenton Bird, JAMM director, (208) 885-4947, kbird@uidaho.edu; Nancy Hilliard, University Communication, (208) 885-6567, hilliard@uidaho.edu^Photos may be downloaded from www.today.uidaho.edu/photo_list.asp^President Hartung, Sen. Frank Church
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