Philip Guthrie Hoffman

Philip Guthrie Hoffman (born 1915 in Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan) was the fifth president of the University of Houston, and the first chancellor of the University of Houston System.

Hoffman was born in Kobe, Japan in 1915 while his parents were serving as missionaries there. [cite book |title=The Houstonian |year=1963] The family moved to Oregon when he was five. Hoffman received a BBA from Pacific Union College in 1938, and a Master's degree in History from the University of Southern California in 1942. [cite web |url=http://info.lib.uh.edu/sca/digital/time/people_large.html?ID=54 |title=Philip Guthrie Hoffman |publisher=University of Houston Libraries |work=UH Through Time |accessdate=2008-07-27]

He then served in the United States Navy during World War II as an intelligence officer. After the war, Hoffman earned his Doctorate in History from Ohio State University in 1948. During and after his graduate work at Ohio State, he worked as a professor at the university until 1949. He then went to the University of Alabama, where he served as an associate and assistant professor until 1953. Until 1956, Hoffman was first vice-dean and then dean of the general extension division for the Oregon State System of Higher Education (now known as the Oregon University System).

In 1957, he came to the University of Houston as vice-president and dean of faculties. He served in this capacity until September 1961 when he succeeded Clanton W. Williams as the president of the university. During his time as president, Hoffman helped to found the University of Houston System. He became the system's first chancellor upon resigning from position of president of UH. He remained chancellor of the system until his retirement in 1979.

Upon retirement from the University of Houston System, Hoffman served as President of the Texas Medical Center. [cite book |title=University of Houston System: Perspectives |publisher=University of Houston System |volume=4 |year=1981 |month=December]

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